The production of wine this year on the island of Fogo is expected to be weak. According to Italian specialist Fanz Egger, who serves as a technical assistant to the wine-making cooperatives in the island’s Chã das Caldeiras and Achada Grande districts, low levels of rainfall and pests in the municipalities of Santa Catarina do Fogo and Mosteiros are to blame for the current situation.

According to projections from the two cooperatives, production this year may not surpass 50,000 liters of wine - some 60,650 bottles. According to Fanz Egger, production will be approximately 50% lower than in 2006.

A particular highlight this year was the significant increase in vineyard acreage. The number of associates in the island’s two cooperatives also went up - in the case of the Chã das Caldeiras cooperative, the figure rose from 62 to 73 affiliated producers, 40% of whom are female heads of household. According to the Italian specialist, almost all of Chã das Caldeiras’ producers are affiliated to the cooperative, which provides them with important economic dividends.

In the face of this somewhat negative Outlook, the winemaking cooperatives intend to give priority to the production of rosé wines and passito (an eau de vie similar to Italian grappa), which in 2006 were the region’s most successful products on the market - indeed, all of the bottles of rosé and passito produced in 2006 were commercialized. Chã das Caldeiras rosé wine, 4,000 bottles of which were put on the market last year, will see a production of 8,000 bottles this year. The amount of passito put on the market will also increase, which means fewer bottles of white and red wine will be produced. The cooperative also plans to launch an eau de vie containing herbal essences soon.

According to Fanz Egger, the region’s winemakers recently received and are currently installing a series of new equipment and machinery as a part of a European Union protocol. The machinery includes 35,000-liter capacity stainless steel barrels, grape crushers, pumping equipment, stills and basic equipment for the Achada Grande facility in Mosteiros.

So far this year, the Chã das Caldeiras adega has harvested 25,000 kilos of grapes, while in Achada Grande the figure stands at 13,000. Harvesting is expected to continue until August 20.

Source: A Semana