Whether it’s the number of producers in certain regions or the area dedicated to organic vineyards, Spain is positioning itself as a leader in the EU.
Organic wine is a sector on the rise in Spain. In fact, the number of producers increased by 10% between 2017 and 2018, from 939 to 1,033. But even more impressive is the growth in land dedicated to organic vineyards, which expanded by more than tenfold, from 11,841 hectares back in 2001 to over 113,000 in 2018. This growth has firmly positioned Spain as number one in the European Union in terms of organic vineyard area.
In the last year, notable growth in this segment came from Valencia, Catalonia and Andalusia, and although organic vineyards only account for a small portion—around 12%—of Spain’s wine segment, this percentage is growing. Spanish producers are also diversifying their portfolio to offer a wide range of not only organic but also biodynamic wines, primarily for export.
In an effort to support the segment, an association was created back in 2014, Spanish Organic Wines (SOW), which promotes exports for more than 35 producers. And there are also an increasing number of international contests, events and fairs focused on organic wine, such as Five Bio. Importers from Switzerland, the US, Kazakhstan, Scandinavia, Germany, Poland, China, Ireland and the Netherlands attended to learn more about Spain’s offering.