Scorching summer temperatures have disrupted life for millions of Europeans but for winegrowers in Italy and France, who are harvesting their grapes unusually early, the hot weather offers pros as well as cons.
In Oltrepo Pavese, a winegrowing region in northern Italy, the harvest was in full swing in the final days of July, a first.
The same phenomenon is also affecting winegrowing areas of southern France.
"This year is historic because the grapes have never been harvested in July before," said Matteo Castellani, head of the Coldiretti farming union for Casteggio, south of Pavia.
"We started the harvest at the beginning of the week, on July 27th and 28th, and that's a record.
