Since a few weeks ago the harvest began in the DO Montilla Moriles have been followed by the rest of the denominations of origin in Spain. This week they have already started DO Somontano and DO Penedés. Find out a little more about this beginning of the harvest season in both wine regions.
DO Somontano
The vintages 2019 in the Somontano Protected Designation of Origin. The first kilos of the white grape Chardonnay, one of the first, along with the white Gewürztraminer. The red Merlot grape will take a little longer to complete its ripening process. The campaign It will last until the first weeks of October. At those times the fruit of the last plots of red grapes Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Parraleta or Moristel will be harvested.
Next week will be the time when the 32 wineries of the Denomination and the almost 400 winegrowers Vineyard owners will be immersed in the harvest. This occurs gradually and progressively in the 15 grape varieties. All this makes up the varietal map of the 4.000 hectares of vineyards in the Denomination of Origin Somontano.
All the vintages 2019 they begin on the usual dates of the Denomination. 50% of its vineyard is planted under irrigation and the other 50% under dry land. The fruit of the dry land vines has not advanced ripening. These have allowed him to conclude the vegetative cycle, usually, fairly good Despite the low rainfall, this good and gradual ripening has also been favored by a cool spring.
El summer has been marked by three heat waves, the first in the last week of June. Such high temperatures cause the plant to close its stomata and stop the vegetative cycle, so that heat has not affected the fruit nor has it advanced maturation. In the case of irrigated vineyards, water needs of the plants have been taken care of with the irrigation which has guaranteed a good maturation.
Harvests 2019 in the DO Penedès
The beginning of the harvest in the DO Penedes has met the forecasts. Between August 15 and 20, many of the wineries of the Denomination of Origin have begun to harvest. They have done it with the earliest varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Muscat. The good weather conditions this year have allowed us to reach the vintages 2019 with a grape with very good health. The spring rains and the temperatures a little lower than the average of previous years, have allowed a calmer ripening, placing the grapes at a maximum quality.
According to the analyzes carried out by the INCAVI, the graduation is optimal to make white and red wines of level. Also the acidity will make it possible to produce good young wines and high quality aging wines. The director of the DO Penedes, Francesc Olivella, has remarked that "the 2019 vintage will be remembered in the future because the quality of the grape will allow us to make unbeatable wines".
Olivella has also highlighted the fact that this year the weather conditions have been very good for the development of the grape. Although the year started with little rain, a lot of rainfall was recorded as of April, which together with the high records of the 2018, have allowed the grape to develop properly.
“We come from a very humid year where the mildew was present. Previously, two other very dry years that reduced production ”, he explained. Olivella. This year, production is expected to be at the average of the last 10 years.
