Harvest Report 2022: Spain

• 2021 was one of the smallest harvests in 10 years.

• 2022 is 10% down on 2021 at 31M HL.

• Widespread spring rainfall in March/April meant the forecast was for a good vintage of 45m HL

• ...but then a very hot and dry summer followed, with extreme temperatures and rainfall typically 50-60% less than the average.

• Some regions (Rias Baixas, Rueda) recovered with rainfall at the end of the summer to get good harvests.

• Quality is very good everywhere, with very good phenolic ripeness, concentration and colour extraction.

• Pricing will be upwards in all regions due to decreased production in some areas, with increased costs and demand in all.

Bodegas Bhilar

A challenging vintage with excellent results

“A common misnomer about Rioja is that it is sweltering hot in the summer,” says David Sampedro, owner and winemaker at Bodegas Bhilar. “However, average summer day temperatures rarely exceed 87°. When you look at the different subregions, such as Rioja Alavesa, where we are, the average high mentioned above is usually 5 to 8 degrees lower and our nights often dip into the low 50s, where a jacket is required. Although, a visit to the region in 2022 would have made you believe otherwise.”

The unpredictability of climate change was ever present this year. Rainfall was average until May and, while Rioja’s summers are typically dry, this year the drought combined with extreme heat revealed an urgent sense for change. Navigating through a rare spike mid-May seemed to set the tone when temperatures reached 94°. Then mid-June the temperature spiked at 100° for a day. In July, the temperature hovered around 99° for six days. And finally, in August the temperature reached 98° for five days. Temperatures didn’t fall overnight as usual, which caused the Consejo to report grapes with lower acidity readings in some areas.

What did this mean for Bhilar’s harvest? “While we toiled over the extreme heat and drought in the summer months, the resulting grapes brought good news; their health was excellent, and production was average,” reports David. “And if another positive can be found, we saw fewer applications of treatments from our conventional neighbours.”

A normal year for Bhilar sees harvesting of parcels based on altitude and grape variety. But curiously, this year, Bhilar harvested based on soil types.

Rioja Alavesa is composed of limestone soils. Vineyards with shallow topsoil and sandy characteristics were brought in first, as they were most effected by the drought. These vineyards had a lower yield in general. The vineyards with silt and clay soil structure are more adapted to drought conditions, therefore coped better and were the last to come in.

“Our wines spontaneously ferment, so we were nervous this year as dry years often provide less yeast on the grape and fermentations can run slower. Rather, this year had us on our toes never knowing which tank would be bubbling over the following morning,” David says.

“All is well that ends well, and despite the prolonged torment of drought and heat, we had an excellent harvest, healthy grapes, average production, and great balance in the grapes with fruit, structure, tannin and acidity.”

Vivanco

Acidity on the fall

The beginning of the 2022 growing cycle arrived a little later than in previous years, due to the intense cold at the end of the winter. Both flowering and fruit set were extraordinary, particularly with the Garnacha variety, which is typically more fragile compared to other varieties. 

From June onwards, heat summation was significantly higher compared to the previous year, resulting in accelerated ripening and bringing forward the harvest – almost two weeks ahead of 2021. While summer water stress led to a lower berry weight in all varieties, by the end of the season, it seemed to have stabilised. Grapevines and grapes were in pristine condition, with less compact clusters and no sanitary problems. 

The extreme summer temperatures resulted in a significant reduction in acidity, with lower values than those of the previous season. As for the quality of the wines, it is still too early to make an assessment, but all indications are that they will be very good, and an improvement on previous years!

Alvear

A turbulent vintage

Much like many other regions, Montilla’s vineyards suffered from extreme heat in June, making it difficult to predict ideal harvest times. It also caused the photosynthesis to nearly shut down, at one of the key points of harvest. “The vines shut down in June for about two weeks and that basically gave us a full seven weeks of harvest,” reports Alvaro Ruiz, Export Manager at Bodegas Alvear.

“Ripening was uneven and unreliable, with the valley floor vineyards struggling to reach alcohol potential, with little acidity left.” In addition, vineyards planted on hillsides showed shrivelled grapes and ongoing veraison simultaneously. “In the end it was a matter of waiting and accepting much lower yields.” Even though harvest started two weeks later, and with yields down 35% compared to the previous year, Alvear’s high-altitude vineyards produced brilliant fruit, of incredible quality, health and component percentage.

In Extremadura, temperatures were not as extreme, and harvest was moved ahead by a mere week. And even though ripening was uneven, the fruit’s acidity was not affected, rendering a healthy year with average weights.  

So, what can we expect for Alvear’s vintage of 2022? “All in all, for the reds (La Zarcita and La Raya) in Extremadura we expect very good to excellent vintage wines, given the way we selected fruit and were able to pick over longer periods,” says Alvaro. “In Montilla, the dry table wines will be outstanding, as we decided to save the hilltop vineyards’ fruit just for them. We will have less volume in general, but I’m quite happy with what we were able to accomplish in the most challenging vintage we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

Castro Martin

Not an easy one – but showing great promise

Despite a challenging harvest, and with their 2022 Albariños still a long way from being finished, Cuatro Rayas is hailing 2022 as an exceptional year, with the team reporting a “wonderful soft floral, fruity scent,” emanating from their brand new tanks.

“It was another atypical season in 2022, as it has been in a number of recent years.” A surprisingly dry winter kept the viticultural team on their toes, as this is the time of year to “top-up their water table”. Thankfully, spring saw an abundance of rainfall, with cool temperatures, bringing to the soils and vines the humid conditions it needed.

Despite the dry winter, alternating periods of warm and wet conditions during the growing season resulted in what is known as vine vigour – when the vegetation grows exceptionally quickly. From July and into August, abnormally hot conditions put vines under stress from the heat and lack of water.

“As we approached harvest time, in early September, the weather changed.” What could’ve been a disaster was welcomed with open arms in 2022. Heavy rain was followed by the Atlantic’s fresh breeze, providing the fruit with much needed hydration which, thanks to the extremely healthy nature of Castro Martin’s bunches, their grapes were able to absorb water without any apparent damage, or disease.

Las Moradas de San Martin

A hotter-than-average vintage, with exceptional results

Following the trend across the Northern Hemisphere, harvest started two weeks earlier than usual at Las Moradas de San Martin. The higher-than-average temperatures started in May, which, combined with frequent heat waves, led to early ripening, forcing the winery to start harvesting its Albillo Real much earlier than usual. The grapes were harvested by hand at dawn, and even though this year’s harvest period was shorter than usual, the yields are similar to those of previous years.    

“A summer that can be described as extremely dry and hot, with several heat waves and hardly any storms, combined with above average temperatures that sped up the ripening process”, notes Isabel Galindo, oenologist of Las Moradas de San Martín.

“We handle our Albillo Real using only organic methods, and these traditional, artisanal methods give us that touch of authenticity and quality, while allowing us to work with low yields and perfectly healthy grapes,” explains Isabel. As a matter of fact, this Madrilenian winery has been working since 1999 to recover this scarcely found autochthonous variety. It’s grown on high altitude plots, in unique terroirs using goblet training and dry farming methods, which give this wine its unique qualities. 

Their Garnacha’s yield was similar to previous years, only with a slightly lower weight per cluster due to the scarcity of rain – but without affecting the overall quality, thanks to the brilliant veraison experienced in spring. Las Moradas de San Martin also expect exceptional quality coming from their high-altitude plots, which have sandy, rocky granitic soils. “These factors will give us the opportunity to produce well-rounded, flavourful wines for this 2022 vintage,” according to Isabel. 

 

Llopart

A year of splendid clusters

The 2022 vintage saw Llopart embark on an early harvest, that lasted from the first days of August until mid September. It is the earliest harvest ever registered by the producer, due to dry weather and scorching temperatures.

“It was a year of very little rainfall,” said XXX? Despite this, the altitude at which their vineyards are located, surrounded by a Mediterranean forest, provided the thermal contrast between day and night, optimal for the grapes to achieve the perfect level of ripeness.

There is a great deal of respect for the gradual ripening at Llopart. Hand-picking, the team started by harvesting Macabeu, which this year displayed smaller berries compared to the previous period, but of excellent quality. The Xarel-lo, on the other hand, showcased a great capacity for resistance and adaptation to extreme weather conditions. These were followed by Montònega, Monastrell, Garnatca and Sumoll, all grape varieties and characters of the producer’s rosés.