High temperatures in Catalonia force grape harvest to start earlier

The ongoing drought and the high temperatures this summer in Catalonia are forcing wine cellars to start their harvesting earlier, as has been the case for the past two years. 

"We used to start harvesting at the beginning of August, but for the last two years we have been doing so at the end of July and I suppose it is a consequence of climate change," Joan Esteve, the Raimat cellar director, said.

Raimat, a cellar in Segrià, has already started harvesting more than 2,000 hectares of grapes in western Catalonia. Although the quality of grapes is expected to be "excellent," the quantity collected will be "slightly inferior" compared to that of a normal year, a total of 6.3 million kilograms, Esteve added. 

This cellar is located at a point where it rarely rains, but with this year's drought, the lack of water has been more notorious. That is why water supply is key to maintaining the production, and the water restrictions suffered have been "important," Esteve said.

Due to the high temperatures, the soil in which the grapes grow is also drier. To deal with this, Raimat has been using technology for the last twenty years to identify which areas need more or less watering. This has enabled the company to optimize its resources and manage water "more efficiently." 

The first variety being harvested by wine growers is chardonnay, which is used to make Cava sparkling wine. Harvesting will continue until October when cabernet sauvignon will be collected.