Spain's cava producers seek creative fixes as drought threatens grape harvests

Record ID: 1736274

  • Title: Spain's cava producers seek creative fixes as drought threatens grape harvests
  • Date: 1st August 2023
  • Summary: SANT SADURNI D´ANOIA, BARCELONA, SPAIN (RECENT - JULY 12, 2023 (REUTERS) (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF VINEYARDS ENOLOGISTS WALKING IN VINEYARDS DRY GRAPES HANDLED BY ORIOL ROIG VARIOUS OF BRANCHES WITH DRIED GRAPE (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) EVA PLAZAS, ENOLOGIST AT VILARNAU CAVA, SAYING: "The vine has died. We think that they are some 30-year-old vines which have very deep
  • Embargoed: 15th August 2023 10:44
  • Keywords: cava climate change dried grapes dried vinyards drought
  • Location: SANT SADURNI D´ANOIA, SPAIN
  • City: SANT SADURNI D´ANOIA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Environment,Europe,Weather,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001117531072023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Vineyards across Catalonia's renowned Penedes cava-producing region are so parched that the roots of 30-year-old vines have died, leaving shrivelled red and green grapes languishing under the intense sun - to the sector's dismay.
    The northeastern region is among the most affected by Spain's long drought, registering the driest start to a year in the first four months of 2023 since records began in 1961.
    The cava sector believes it could lose between 35% and 55% of grapes compared to a relatively normal harvest due to the scarcity of rain, said Quim Tossas, chairman of AE CAVA, a business group representing 75% of producers of the bubbly drink.
    Most cava is sold outside of Spain - the world's second-largest producer of sparkling wine after France. Last year the sector produced 249 million bottles, 4.6% more than in 2021.
    As droughts and higher-than-usual temperatures are expected to intensify as a consequence of climate change, some producers are seeking creative solutions, hoping to reduce the use of water.
    The Vilarnau winery is reusing water for cleaning to also water vineyards, separating vines so they suffer less of what they call "hydric stress" and using other seeds and varieties considered more drought-resistant.
    (Production: Horaci Garcia, Albert Gea, Joan Faus)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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