Spain’s 2024 Grape Harvest – Preview

After two years of extreme heat and extended drought across much of Spain, 2024 has seen a vintage with temperatures more in line with historic averages. Rainfall was much higher than in previous years, bringing some respite to parched vines, but as yields depend on the buds laid down the previous year when water was scarce, production is still on the low side. Drought continued to be an issue in eastern areas, as well as Spain’s archipelagos, whereas in the north, heavy rainfall in spring caused fertility issues, and later rains, fungal diseases and stop-start vintages.

All-in-all, a very complicated vintage, although thanks to the hard work and expertise of Spain’s talented viticulturists and winemakers, the quality looks to be good.  In terms of quantity, the Ministry of Agriculture’s provisional estimates refer to a 17% increase on 2023’s very short vintage, but this is yet to be confirmed and varies by area as we will see in more detail.

Favourable conditions in central - southern Spain

Castile - La Mancha accounts for almost two thirds of the national grape crop and expects a large vintage of 23m hl of wine and must, on the back of very favourable conditions, a lack of pests and diseases, more moderate summer temperatures than last year and plenty of spring rainfall. Extremadura predicts a similarly large harvest.

After four consecutive years of drought, the vineyards of the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry and Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO also saw some relief in the form of 480-550 litres precipitation per square metre and cooler night time temperatures. 62.5 million kilos were harvested, 25% up on the previous year.

Rain causes challenges to the north

At the other extreme, DOCa Rioja’s production is expected to be very low, with even fewer grapes than in 2002, the smallest vintage this century to date. Temperatures throughout the growth cycle were cooler than the seven year average, with just a few hot days at the end of July and the beginning of August. It is the wettest vintage since 2018, with 407mm falling between the 1st April and the 30th October, over half in September and October.   

Harvest dates were bought forward in many areas to avoid the threat of grapes splitting and rotting. This means that wines will be fresher with lighter colour intensity and lower alcohol levels than some vintages. Although fruit from vineyards in earlier ripening areas - such as Bodegas LAN’s Viña Lanciano and Sonsierra’s Rincón de los Galos - was described as balanced and of “fabulous quality”.

The president of neighbouring Navarra DO, David Palacios, described the vintage as “short and heroic,” with vine growers having to act quickly to bring in grapes during outbreaks of heavy rain. The 43 million kg harvest is 13 million kilos down on the previous year, but offers “exceptional quality.”

Similarly, Aragón also saw heavy rain in September and October, but due to the lack of water availability during the previous growth season and poor fruit set in high altitude Garnacha vineyards, yields continue to be low. Due to cooler temperatures, “wines will be fresher, more balanced and long lived,” stated Calatayud-based producer Norrel Robertson MW.

In Castille - Leon, the Rueda DO saw a more generous harvest of just under 139 million kilos of grapes, compared to 130 million the previous year. The weather was described as wet with high temperatures, which allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and progressively, with later start dates than in 2023 and “very good quality musts,” according to the DO’s Technical Director, Jesús Díez.

In the Ribera del Duero DO, the winter was wet and rainfall continued throughout spring.  Frost occurred around Aranda del Duero in late April with damage to some vineyards. This was followed by several hailstorms in May, June and August, which again had severe effects on some limited areas, all reducing production, which looks to be smaller than in recent years.

In Bierzo DO, with 1,000 l/m2 of precipitation during the agricultural year, there were also some losses due to hail and outbreaks of mildew in June. Almost 8 million kilos of grapes were harvested, 30% less than the average of the last five years, although quality was deemed to be “exceptional” with “intense fruit flavours and great balance.”

Conditions were also damp throughout the spring and summer in Galicia, leading to issues such as fruit shatter or coulure, and, to a lesser extent, fungal disease. However, yields were not too greatly affected, with 42 million kilos of grapes harvested in the Rias Baixas DO, around 5% down on the previous vintage.

Continued drought in the east and Islands

On the other hand, in the east, vineyards in the Penedès area of Cava DO continue to be affected by drought, although spring rains bought some relief. In the Priorat DOCa, irregular rainfall and high temperatures also led to a small and early harvest.

The Jumilla DO in particular saw very low production, with even the drought-tolerant Monastrell vines suffering after the third year with practically no rainfall.  

Likewise, both of the Spanish archipelagos - the Canary and Balearic Islands - saw small vintages due to ongoing aridity. Although not as hot as previous years, the Canaries saw very little rain and an absence of cooler spells. Gran Canaria reported the smallest harvest of the last ten years.

Although occurring after the 2024 harvest was brought in, it would be remiss not to mention the devastating rains that hit Valencia in late October.  Along with the tragic loss of life, vineyards have been damaged and, in some cases, swept away, although the full effects are still to be confirmed.