35% of indigenous grape vines in Malta lost due to lack of rainfall – winery CEO

35% of the indigenous grape vines used for wines in Malta are dead, Marsovin CEO Jeremy Cassar is informed.

The Girgentina and the Gellewza are indigenous to the Maltese islands, and he attributed the loss to the lack of rainfall.

This year, 265 mm of rainfall fell on Malta, whereas last year, 550 mm had fallen. The amount, he said, is calculated each year ending September 1. "The amount of rainfall results in a desert classification".

He spoke of the need to replant these indigenous varieties, stressing that foreign grapes can be bought, but these varieties cannot.

 "There are years where a vineyard would produce more, others where a vineyard would produce less, but this is extreme, as the vines themselves are suffering.

He said that even with drip irrigation, vines still require rainwater. "Most Gellewza and Girgentina vines are not drip irrigated, he added, explaining that in certain parts of the island where they grow, there is not enough access to water.

The replantation of these species is urgent, he went on to say, adding that the EU Funds from the Rural Development Fund have not yet been made available. "There is a window between January and March where farmers and vineyards can replant, but if farmers do not have access to EU funds, it could be problematic".

In total, Marsovine has seen a 20-25% less volume production due to the excessive heat and lack of rainfall.

The lack of rainfall Mr Cassar said, has hurt the quantity of grapes produced around the island. "White grapes require more water, whereas red grapes require less. While the quantity of grape production has declined because of the situation this year, the quality of red wine grapes is actually better".

"Most vignerons managed to control the amount of damage dealt thanks to vineyard practices and a special emphasis on precise irrigation and fertiliser management. Unfortunately, good irrigation water is not readily available across the island. In fact, vineyards located in Mġarr, a stronghold of the traditional indigenous Girgentina and Ġellewża, are expected to yield as much as 70% below the norm.  Furthermore, the damage is not limited to this year's harvest, as the drought resulted in the loss of a large percentage of vines in the area, along with other non-irrigated vineyards across Malta," he said.

Photos by Jonathan Borg

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