wine

In 1945 someone bottled 75 centiliters of wine in Burgundy. And now that wine is the most expensive in history: 700,000 euros

by

With 812,500 dollars in your pocket (almost 700,000 euros, at the exchange rate) you can buy a good house in a wealthy neighborhood, embark on a business adventure or simply face life with much more peace of mind, at least on a financial level. In New York there are those who have decided to use that amount of money on something very different: buy a bottle of wine most expensive ever sold at auction, a very exclusive burgundy made from a 1945 vintage that has shattered the previous record, which It dated from 2018. This is still ironic if you take into account that the wine industry (at a general level and in France in particular) does not go through his best moment. An $812,500 wine? That’s how it is. The milestone was reached a few days ago, during an auction held in New York. Of course neither the wine nor the date were normal. The sale was closed during bidding Acker’s Pauléeone of the reference events for wine collectors in the world and (especially) lovers of wines from the Burgundy region, France. Those responsible they boast that in just three days sales of 25 million dollars were made and a good handful of records were achieved. Among all of them, however, there is one that arouses interest beyond the world of viticulture: the bottle for which the most money has been paid in a bid. And what is it like? Special, of course. The piece in question is a 750-milliliter bottle of Romanée-Conti 1945. Said like that, it may not seem like a big deal, but there are several reasons why this wine is so attractive to wine lovers. To begin with, its history. The broth in question was made with grapes collected in 1945 in Romanée-Contiwhich is interesting in itself. Not only because of the symbolic value of that date (the end of World War II). It was also the last harvest before the winery decided to uproot its vineyards to replant them, strengthening them against phylloxeraa plague that dealt a severe blow to the European wine industry, especially in the 19th century. This peculiarity made the 1945 vintage an object of desire for collectors around the world. Not only was it good for Burgundy itself, but it marked a before and after in Romanée-Conti’s production. To make matters worse, there are very few bottles of that vintage. Only 600 were produced. If we trust the most trained palates, the wine obtained at that time also offers a “depth and complexity” difficult to find in other broths. Is it so extraordinary? John Kapon, president of Acker, gives an idea how extraordinary it is to have a bottle like that. “I have had the privilege of tasting the 1945 Romanée-Conti three times in my life, but I have not tried it again in more than 20 years and probably never will again.” “To this day it is still the best wine I have ever tasted. The 1945 vintage was the last harvested before the vineyard was replanted in 1947. As a result of the fight against phylloxera, for many years production was reduced to only 10%. What was made was almost impossible to acquire.” Does it stand out for something else? Yes. Acker stands out that the bottle that has just been auctioned for almost 700,000 euros was part of the personal cellar of Robert Drouhinthe late patriarch of the Drouhin and a reference in the world of wines and more specifically Burgundy. It is not a minor detail because it affects the history (and especially the traceability) of the bottle, giving it even more value. Is it just wine? No. It is also a magnet for investors. Proof that the Romanée-Conti 1945 is exceptional is that the record has been ‘taken from itself’. Right now the Guinness World Records identifies as “the most expensive wine sold at auction” a bottle of that same vintage that reached $558,000 during an auction organized by Sthevby’s in New York in 2018. That its price has gone from $558,000 to $812,500 in less than a decade shows that, in addition to a wine with oenological and historical value, French bottles are an interesting asset from an investment point of view. The Telegraph assures In any case, the (secret) buyer is a citizen from outside France who was moved by his love for vines, not by dollars. A great irony. That a bottle of wine sells for almost 700,000 euros is striking in itself, but it is even more so when we remember that the operation catches the sector at low times. Not that of luxury, but that of wine. For some time now, the indicators used by the industry have pointed to an undeniable and prolonged decrease in consumption or at least a stagnationin the best of cases. His future is not too rosy either. a report The recent European Union (EU) report on agriculture anticipates that demand will fall by 0.9% annually until 2035, leaving per capita consumption at approximately 19.3 liters, significantly lower than the figure recorded at the beginning of the last decade. Images | Acker Wines and EU Via | DAP In Xataka | Europe had placed its hopes in China to continue selling wine to the world. They didn’t have “morality”

the European recipe to save the wine crisis

by

Touring La Rioja in autumn is to enter an impressive sea of ​​color in the form of small yellow, orange and red trees. However, this characteristic bucolic landscape will change in the coming years following Europe’s plan: uproot vineyards. Paradoxically, from the same place from which they have been receiving funds for decades to promote the expansion of the sector. The EU Wine package. It is Europe’s roadmap to manage the crisis that the sector is going through and was agreed in December 2025. How? Going from expansion to contraction of supply administratively. Thus, it favors the destruction of productive vineyards definitively and voluntarily with incentives. In addition, the plantation system is made more flexible, extending deadlines and exempting from fines those who decide not to use their plantation authorizations. On a commercial level, Brussels is committed to modernization and added value over volume, consolidating alternatives such as non-alcoholic wines and digital labeling with QR codes. Why it is important. To begin with, due to the economic magnitude of the sector in the EU and what these definitive goodbyes imply: it supports 2.9 million jobs and contributes more than 130,000 million euros to the community GDP, according to the report “Economic, social and environmental importance of the wine sector in the EU” by the European Wine Business Committee prepared by PwC. Rioja has recently opened the aid application deadline and offers between 2,300-2,600 euros per hectare. But also because the EU plan involves applying the same measures for different realities. By not distinguishing between regions with large surpluses (Bordeaux) and areas with more balanced markets (such as Rioja or Duero), there is a risk of destroying agricultural capital of incalculable value. The drama is not that about “bad wine”, but that the market can no longer absorb even wines with Designation of Origin. Context. For decadesthe Common Agricultural Policy subsidized vineyards by protecting minimum prices, which distanced the farmer from a market reality in which supply exceeded demand. This approach generated large structural surpluses: since the 80s There is the term “wine lake” to refer to that overproduction derived from central planning that ignored the change in consumer habits. We drink less and less wine and The new generations are not so interested. Nevertheless, Spain more or less holds the type although it is not immune to changing habits: people drink less frequently and more selectively and the alcohol-free options. Europe tried some patchesbut the wine package is the current and most drastic response to the problem that the agrarian policy itself created. Evolution of global wine consumption. Source: International Organization of Wine and Vine La Rioja, ground zero. La Rioja has already made a move opening the aid period for the green harvesta first step that this year seeks to identify those who are willing, in the near future, to say goodbye definitively to their vines. What is “Green Harvest”? Destroy the grapes before they ripen. There is a key nuance: 15 extra points are awarded to those who commit to uprooting their vines forever in the future. The impact of the measure. The consequences of this plan are measured in terms of feasibility and territory: On an economic level, while the green harvest is paid between 2,300 and 2,600 euros per hectare, the definitive grubbing is estimated between 4,000 and 6,000 euros/hectare (in France). In any case, the basis of the aid seeks to reach the professional whose income depends exclusively on the countryside, trying to avoid the collapse of the rural economy (for example, in Rioja). Loss of assets. The uprooting destroys irreversible agricultural capital. In areas where there is no alternative or the sector’s roots are deep, such as La Rioja (honoring the slogan: the land with a wine name), it can be a catalyst for the abandonment of the territory and a change in its landscape. Towards a luxury wine. Or a wine without. The sector is moving towards a model of less and more, a shift towards adding value to the product. In short, the wine that remains on the market is scarcer and can defend higher prices. Likewise, its survival depends on accepting that wine is no longer a mass consumption product, but rather a value-added good adapted to new trends. In Xataka | For the first time in history the possibility of a Mediterranean without wine is beginning to appear on the horizon In Xataka | Green squares in the middle of the desert: Namibia’s “miracle” to fill Europe’s supermarkets with grapes Cover | Shaury

The wine industry believed it had its new El Dorado in China. Until China asked its officials to stop drinking

by

a few days ago Dynasty Fine Winesa wine company listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, had to share the class of information that makes shareholders’ coffee (or wine, as the case may be) choke: their 2025 profit forecast has plummeted more than 50% with respect to 2024. The news might not have interest beyond its board if it were not for the fact that it connects with a larger trend: changes in the Chinese market that have led to the Asian giant ceasing to be the inexhaustible gold mine that the sector imagined in his day. And in part it is due to the guidelines on morality by Xi Jinping. What has happened? That the Western alcohol industry’s dream of finding a new big gold mine in China seems to be slowly receding. And this is especially noticeable in wine cellars. After years of accelerated growth, in which the Asian giant seemed increasingly interested in wines from Australia or France, demand has started to slow down. The signs are clear. has fallen per capita consumption, imports, production and there are companies such as Treasury Wine Estates, Pernord Ricard, Diageo or Dinasty Fine that have seen how it gets complicated the panorama in the country. China is no longer in the news for increasing its world import quota from 1 to 8% in record time to make headlines for the drop in demand. What does the data say? There are many indicators to pull from. Of all, perhaps the most eloquent is the one published by the Interprofessional Wine Organization of Spain (OIVE), based in turn on Chinese customs data. The organization recently revealed that in 2025 imports suffered a decline of 26.7% in volume, although the increase in the average price reduced the fall to 14.6% in terms of value. The “prick” affected exporters like France or Chile. Is it the only indicator? Not at all. Another producing country that has also suffered the ups and downs in the Chinese market is Australia. Although the wineries there received good news in March 2024when Xi Jinpuing lifted the tariffs that penalized his wine exports, the joy was short-lived. A few months ago Wine Australia published a report in which it recognizes that shipments of merchandise to other countries were reduced by 6% in volume and 8% in value in 2025, a decline that is partly explained by the fall in two markets: the United States (-12%) and especially the Chinese one, which contracted another 17%. Are only imports falling? No. Just a year ago the University of Adelaide published a study which shows that the changes in the Chinese wine market are much deeper and more complex. Per capita consumption, for example, skyrocketed during the first decade of the century, then registered fluctuations until 2016 and from that year on it suffered a decline that extends at least until 2022, the last year analyzed. The production curve is not good either. “We have seen how the (Chinese) market has completely dried up,” he complained recently in statements to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) the owner of a winery that exports wine from New South Wales, Australia. Your case is illustrative. Until 2019, 40% of its profits came from China. The collapse in sales in that market has now translated, however, into a surplus that will force him to let 30% of his grapes rot this year. Has the market changed that much? It seems so. In November 2025 the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP) published an extensive report which made its premise clear from the same headline: “European wines stay on the shelves while China looks for cheaper drinks.” In the chronicle he talks about a contraction in the consumption of both premium wines and traditional spirits, while other options such as craft beer seem to be gaining ground. The information is accompanied by a graph that reflects the fall in wine imports between 2017 and 2023. If there were any doubts about whether the trend only affects European or Australian wineries, a few weeks ago The New York Times public another report in which he explains how the drop in demand affects the distilleries of Maotaiin China itself, dedicated to the production of baijiua powerful liquor. Why is demand falling? There are several factors. Influences the economic slowdown and the hangover real estate crisiswhich have in turn affected spending on alcohol, especially when we talk about expensive imported wines. There are also analysts who they point to a change in consumer habits, especially among the youngest. Recently Global Timesa Chinese newspaper linked to the communist government, published a report in which he told precisely how the new generations show less interest in drinking. In that aspect they connect with other societies that live the same phenomenon. Is it the only reason? No. There is another. And although a priori it may seem minor or secondary, it is relevant enough for WSJ I related it directly with the decline of the wine market. Which is it? The position of the Chinese Government. A few months ago the Executive headed by Xi Jinping issued a strict guideline in which it prohibits the serving of alcohol, luxury dishes or cigarettes at official meals. The objective: end excesses. “Extravagant banquets and excessive alcohol consumption were a regular part of official life in China. But such excesses, long criticized by the public, have come under increasing scrutiny. As part of a new push to ensure discipline, China has imposed a widespread ban on alcohol at official receptions,” it proclaims. a statement published in May 2025 by the Information Office, which warns: “Excessive alcohol deteriorates the image of officials.” And is it being fulfilled? Although it cites the rest of the economic and cultural factors that influence demand, WSJ points out the government guideline as one of the factors that explain the change in trend in China. He even shares a concrete example: last year during the conference of a state-owned … Read more

For the first time in history the possibility of a Mediterranean without wine is beginning to appear on the horizon

by

The same week we found out that Nabimia is flooding Europe of grapes grown in the middle of the desert, a map goes viral that says that the continent’s wine-growing areas have been moving north for decades. What’s the point of all this? Is it even possible? Let’s see it. Let’s start with the map. In recent days, the map is by Sebastian Gräff for The European Correspondent and shows how, in Europe, the “wine-growing areas” have been shifting for 60 years due to the effect of climate change. Not only has it gone viral, it has also become very controversial. Just look at the map to see that historical areas full of vineyards (such as the Jerez countryside) do not appear on it. And it is not a specific failure: there are ‘gaps’ of this type in practically all of the countries that come out. And yet, this isn’t exactly a problem. How is that not a problem? Because what the map represents is the Huglin index: one of the many indices that tries to determine the areas with optimal conditions for growing vines. It is based on a viticultural principle: that each grape variety needs a certain amount of heat to be grown successfully. The Huglin index tries to make an estimate, but (due to the nature of meteorological data) it is not useful for concrete detail. The best-known example is the slopes: having one orientation or another can change the average daily temperature of the area by more than two degrees. It is rather a tool to classify areas, predict ripening and plan the cultivation of certain varieties. But a tool that only makes sense in its context. And the map is not its context. I mean, it’s not what it’s intended for, but that doesn’t mean it’s not interesting. At the end of the day, climate change is one of the most important “game changers” in the world of vines: we must not forget that, in 2024, the harvest took place earliest of the Marco de Jerez since there are records and experts fear that, if the trend continues like this, there will come a time when it will not be viable to grow grapes. In the same way, there are huge regions of the world that they are about to be able grow vines: UK wine production has doubled in a very short time and indeed the area planted with vines has increased 75% in the last five years. They are not yet large amounts, but the harvests are getting better and the sector is moving more and more money. And the expectation is that it will go further, of course. Bad omens. All this outlines something that researchers are beginning to take very seriously: the first time, in historical times, the Mediterranean run out of useful vines for wine production. In this sense, the Jumilla disaster of 2024 serves as a warning to navigators. Wine is entering unknown territory and we are going to bear the worst part. Image | Sebastian Graff In Xataka | The oldest wine in the world is “Andalusian” and has been resting for 2,000 years. If it’s good or not, no one wants to know.

One of the biggest wine critics is French and has toured China. There is no good news for French wine

by

TO Michel Bettane he likes wine. In fact, it is more than a hobby: he has developed a career around it, until it became one of the wine critics most influential in the world. For two decades he worked at ‘La Revue du vin de France’, a prestigious magazine that covers current events in the wine industry, until he decided to become independent and, together with a colleague from the magazine, founded the Betanne and Desseauve Guide. Bettane is one of the most authoritative voices worldwide in terms of wines and one with weight within the sector. He recently completed a tour of China in which has tasted more than 300 premium Chinese wines and its conclusion is as resounding as it is hurtful to French pride. The chinese wines They are superior to many of those found in France. And this guy doesn’t try cheap wines, but rather high-end ones. Chinese wines >> French wines These incendiary statements came after the sixth edition of the Bettane + Desseauve Wine Tasting in China. Held in Beijing and Shangri-La (Yunnan), the critic and five other international wine experts tasted more than 300 premium wines produced in China. Bettane has indicated that China is experimenting an “amazing awakening of the terroir”, and it is something that is not out of place if we take into account the international position of the country’s industry. If just 15 years ago it was a desert, now They are sneaking into the conversation like a power. The strategy of the Chinese industry is not to attack in quantity, but in quality, and for this there are wineries that have studied in the most powerful wine and wine regions in Europe to learn and then apply that knowledge to their field. Taking advantage of the particularities of each of its regions, there are wines that are becoming some of the most sought-after without having a French surname. Bettane stated that what has impressed him most is the technical precision when controlling the grape ripening and fermentation processes. “We found almost no wine with serious defects”he assured, adding that “the overall strength of the production standard is, in fact, higher than what we often find in our annual tastings in France.” It looks like a Scottish castle, but it’s a Chinese winery Above all, he highlighted two wine regions: Ningxia and Yunnan. We have already talked about Ningxia recently in Xatakaa very complicated area in winter for which they have developed a technique that consists of burying the vines so that the snow does not affect them. Those responsible have “copied” Bordeauxand it is something that catches the critic’s attention. The other is Yunnan, one that, he says, left him speechless. Especially for a white wine, a ‘Shangri-La Chardonnay‘ which, for Bettane, “can play in the league of the world’s great whites”. A wine strategy modeled on that of smartphones The interesting thing is something that the critic comments about the change in strategy of the Chinese producers, and it is something similar to what has happened in the technological world, especially with the smartphone industry. At first, as happened with Ningxia producers, they dedicated themselves to “copying” Bordeaux, but now Bettane has seen how are beginning to experiment and discover synergies between the grapes, the land and its climatic conditions instead of simply continuing to imitate the European model. As I say, it is similar to what happens with the mobile phone industry and, specifically, with an Apple with which all Chinese brands are compared at any given time. When Apple presents a new feature for the iPhone, we begin to see a rapid adaptation of Chinese mobile phones to include those features, while adding some new functions. The iPhone dynamic island and his twin in other brandsvisual elements in the operating system or the photo button (which existed long before Apple integrated it, but the influence of the apple brand is what it is) are three examples. For Bettane, the possibilities that China’s vast territory offers when it comes to creating and perfecting grape varieties are “unlimited.” And if you read me from France or are a lover of La Mancha wine and right now your fist is clenched… at least we have the cheese left. That, at the moment, has no Asian rival. Images | WBC, Treaty Port In Xataka | If the question is what is the future of wine, more and more Bordeaux wineries are clear about it: non-alcoholic wine

Olive oil is following in the footsteps of wine. And that happens through the pre-umification of the oil mills

by

There are few pleasures in this life that surpass that of dipping a good bread with plenty of crumbs in a bowl with quality olive oil. It depends on the time and the point of the roller coaster that is the olive oil priceit is something that we can do more or less frequently, and to weather the situation there are oil mills that are reimagining themselves. From simple industrial warehouses and cooperatives closed to the public, they are being transformed into living museums about oil, in the purest style of the wine cellars. It is the pre-umification of the industrial warehouse. roller coaster. Talking about olive oil is talking about Spain. We are the great engine on a global scale, contributing more than 40% of world olive oil. After some disastrous harvests24/25 has recovered, with a production of 1.4 million tons, and a similar production is expected for 25/26. Despite the good feelings, It is still a complicated segment because weather conditions can easily transform the scenario. Prices at the beginning of 2024 skyrocketed because the previous harvest was hit by drought, and oil mills have begun to take measures to protect themselves against price fluctuations and, above all, to have a stable income flow throughout the year. From wine tourism to oil tourism. If you’ve ever wondered why everything is now a subscription, even when it doesn’t make sense, it’s because companies are looking for a constant flow of money. A single large payment is no longer worth it: they want more distributed, but consistent income. There is one grape harvest a year and the wineries reacted by converting themselves into wine museums. In these visits to wineries we see how the product is made, but it is also a cultural and gustatory journey, with tastings of the product itself and others that “match” well, such as cheese. The oil mills are doing exactly the same. Of these cold and industrial facilities, some are moving to design buildings that combine the production of the oil, its culture and the tasting. It is the search for oleotourism through the pre-umification of the oil mill, and it is something that has drawn on this much more consolidated wine tourism. From the industrial warehouse to the museum. The idea is to offer a complete sensory experience in which there is a story about the territory in which it is located, the production of the oil, the local culture and, obviously, the tasting. At the same time, thematic routes can be developed with cheese factories or wineries, but also with agreements with rural accommodations and restaurants. These new oil mills also behave like a museum, since historical pieces and machinery are exhibited, as well as a review of the manufacturing tradition of the place. And, of course, there are direct sales stores that not only offer the main product, but any that may be related, such as cheese, oil, local sweets or even ceramic pieces in which to store that oil. Spanish tourism websites now stand out oil mills as exponents of modern tourism. There are oil mills that are converted and others that are more ’boutique’ that were born with the visitor in mind. LA Almazara. Jaen is a land of olive trees and there are several oil mills of this style, such as ‘EVOOland‘in Baeza or the Olive Culture Museum at Hacienda la Laguna. Ciudad Real is another important oil focus –with the healthiest oil in the world in 2024-, with examples like ‘Infanta Elena Museum of Contemporary Art‘ and more “at the foot of the olive tree” experiences that teach cultivation techniques, production, landscape and, for about 20 euros per person, of course, a tasting. Interior of LA Almazara But if there is a point worldwide that right now screams the terms “pre-umified oil mill” louder, that is ‘LA Almazara LA Organic’ in Ronda. It is the same concept that we have reviewed so far: a cultural center dedicated to olive oil that combines restoration, accommodation in a farmhouse and tasting, all around what they have called “the first signature oil mill”. The prices of this pre-umification? Specifically, those at LA Almazara are in line with others, between 10-30 euros, but with options to spend… whatever you want, with an “EXCLUSIVE visit” that closes the oil mill for you and takes you there by helicopter. I go to one and dip some good bread… so happy. Images | The Almazara, Wine tourismSpain In Xataka | China is devouring all technology sectors: the surprising thing is that it is also making good wine

Spanish wine promised them very happy after the end of drought. The price of grapes is changing everything

by

The wine industry is facing a complicated year. In the eye of the hurricane, the price of grapes, such a low price that is leading farmers to stand up war. A problem that It has been hanging on the sector From before even the beginning of the harvest. The food chain law. The Unió Llauradora, Agrarian Organization of Valencian, has been the last sector group in denounce the situation of the grape market. The organization has claimed to claim Ministry of Agriculture Valenciana A study on the production costs for the grapes used for wine production, a study they consider could “endorse possible complaints for breach of the food chain law.” This legislation is responsible for regulating “the operation and vertebration of the food chain.” A law that seeks, According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foodimprove the efficacy and competitiveness of the sector while reducing the imbalance in commercial relations. According to explained in a statement The Llauradora Unió, this legislation “the only instrument that producers possess to defend their interests (…) in the face of commercial distribution abuses.” 20% less. Farmers do not consider that the price at which wine producers buy the grape is fair. According to the forecasts of the Valencian Sector Association, the price of grapes could fall by more than 20% this year. Expectations v. reality. The Valencian field is the last to join the complaints of other vinification grape -producing regions. The harvest seemed to be abundant, with some areas relying on a recovery in production also 20%. This increase in supply would be the great engine of the price drop, a decrease such that for some wine producing regions they have indicated in recent months that they would not allow them to cover production costs. To this problem, the Unió Llauradora adds another in the fact that its harvest is not even reaching the expected volume at first. Despite this, prices, based on more optimistic expectations, They continue to be low. “The rains recorded at certain times of the campaign were a relief and contributed to the recovery of the vine The association stands out. One crisis after another. The current one is just one of the crises that the sector has had to face in recent years. The increase that some wine regions have seen in production responds rather to a recovery compared to recent years, marked by the drought that put a good part of the agricultural sector against the strings (even the farmer). In Xataka | During centuries Galicia was a thriving land of olive groves with unique varieties in the world. What changed it is still a mystery Image | Dailos Medina / Pixabay

They improve wine quality

by

The agrevoltaic I was already gaining ground as THE GREAT PROMISE OF THE FIELD and renewable energy. What we did not know was that it can also improve wine. Short. The Svolta, a winery in the Italian region of Puglia, has discovered that integrating agrevoltaic systems into the vineyards can mitigate some of the effects of climate change, delay the maturation of grapes and Improve wine quality. In addition, it has allowed them to cultivate grape varieties that are not typical of the region, not to mention the economic and environmental benefits when saving water and producing solar energy in the same land where the vine is cultivated. A huge agreglyst installation. The project is called AGRIVOLTAIC VIGNA DI COMMUNITà and has 7,770 solar panels of thin double -union film. Among all, they add up to 970 kW output power. Solar panels are oriented south at an angle of 28 degrees. They rest on a concrete structure, inspired by the typical pergola of the Italian vineyards. The vine grows below, protected from wind and heat waves. The secret is in the shadow. The shadow projecting the solar panels has been delaying the harvest of the Svolta of three to four weeks, with respect to the surrounding vineyards. Both for the white grape and for the ink grapes. Last year, the Agrivoltaic Vigna Di Community completed the harvest at the end of August, weeks after other vineyards did. How it affects the quality of wine. The lower exposure to the sun slows the accumulation of sugars in the grapes, which improves the balance between the alcoholic degree and the acidity in fermentation. According to the SVOLTA, this allows to elaborate high quality wines without the need for corrective interventions. The agrivoltaic system improved the water stress of the plants, protected the meteorological excess grapes and reduced the wind speed in half, compared to the open field. The winery did technical studies that show a reduction in water consumption for irrigation of up to 20% and an increase in land performance between 20% and 60%. Experimentation continues. The Svolta has cultivated more than 30 varieties of vine, mainly native to Puglia. In April, The winery presented Primitive wines, Falanghina and Traminer, among which a foamy white grapes highlighted, for which the agrivoltaic system has been particularly beneficial. A version of this article was published in 2024 Image | AGRIVOLTAIC VIGN DI COMMUNITà. In Xataka | Each solar panel to its olive tree: Jaén demonstrates that combining olive oil with photovoltaic is profitable

Spanish wine is going through an existential crisis and for producers the problem is simple: too cheap

by

The end of drought has shaken the pendulum of agricultural production, taking ahead the hopes that many had in this harvest. The productivity recovery It has arrived accompanied by a decrease in the prices of a variety of products in the sector. Among them, the grapes used for the elaboration of various types of wine. Protest in front of AECAVA. A few days ago, grape -producing farmers from different communities They organized a protest In front of the headquarters of the Association of Cava (AECAVA) Association in Sant Sadurní D’Alcoia, Barcelona. They did it in order to demand sufficient prices to cover, at least, production costs. 20% more grapes. The protest occurred while the harvest of some of the grape varieties began. The sector estimates that this year will be an increase in grape production, with some farmers calculating a 20% increase With respect to the 2024 harvest. This would be the effect of the recovery of the sector after a drought that affected very diverse crops and left several crops on the edge of the collapse. The situation is now very different thanks to the rains we saw between the past autumn and this spring and even in part of the summer. Double edge weapon. Despite this, this improvement threats becoming a double -edged sword at the fall in prices that the agricultural sector now denounces. The increase in production and static demand involves lower prices, so much that the sector fears not being able to cover production costs. Almost at half price. As explained from the Valencian Association of Farmersthe first offers that wineters have received this year for the conventional grape kilogram is € 0.45, € 0.50 in the case of the grape for the production of “ecological” wine. These figures would represent a price drop of about 50% compared to last year’s prices, € 0.87/kg in conventional grapes and € 1/kg in “ecological” production. Harvest recovery (something we are Seeing in various crops) It would be the reason for this collapse in prices, but producers warn that this recovery does not affect all crops. The field in areas such as the Valencian Community or Extremadura, stand out, maintain a limited yield at 10.5 tons per hectare. A recovery that is not so much. From the winemaker, emphasis is placed on the so long -awaited harvest recovery after drought is not, much less, assured. Some diseases that affect the vine, such as mildewthey are putting a harvest still in the process of maturation in some regions. To this we must add the effects, even to be determined, of a especially intense and lasting heat wave. A heat wave capable to put at risk the process of maturation of plants but has also come accompanied by a series of fires Especially devastating in areas such as Galicia, Extremadura, and Castilla y León. In Xataka | The great alcohol crisis has reached the champagne. And the sector has a theory: we do not find reasons to celebrate Image | Ángela Llop, CC by-SA 4.0

Its impact on wine

by

“The misfortunes never come alone,” says the saying. August 2025 threatens to demonstrate in Ourense to what extent that is true. The province has been besieged by the flames, which have calcined thousands of hectaresforced to Evacuate neighbors and razed Farms Now the region faces however another challenge that threatens to hit one of its most emblematic industries: the wine. In fact there is already Who is speaking There are “completely razed” vineyards. They are the sequelae of fire. Ourense, in flames. The province of Ourense is not the only one that has been dealing with the flames for days, but its case is especially serious. There have registered the forest megaincendios of Queixa Chandrexa or that of Larouco, which some already point out like THE GAIN IN HISTORY from Galicia, with some 20,000 ha calcined. In general the wave of fires that the community supports for two weeks has burned more than 70,000 hamore than The surface from the city of Madrid. A sector in suspense. Although the fires have already razed homes and some farms Livestock From the province, there is a specific sector that follows the progress of the flames with special attention: The wine. Ourense has a secular winery tradition and hosts four different denominations (DO), that of Monterrei, Ribeiro, Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacrashared the latter with Lugo. This wine muscle in turn generates millions of euros and hundreds of jobs. According to The data That it manages the interprofessional of the wine of Spain Oive, there are vineyards in 60 of the 92 municipalities of Ourense, which in turn hosts one more than one third (33.7%) of the entire vinícola surface of Galicia. Only Pontevedra and Ourense add up to 82.5% of the vineyard area of the region and almost 87% of broth production. Now those responsible see how The heat wave It comes accompanied by a fire succession that reminds of those of 2022. The Invoice of Fire. To better understand how ourensanos winemakers live the progress of the flames comes to see reading The statements that left a few days ago in The country Ernesto Rodríguez, Bodeguero de la Do Monterrei and owner of the brands Father 1934 and Crego and Mongaguillo. It is not so much for the flames to directly reach the strains as the effect of their proximity. “I have seen completely razed vineyards. It is not that the strain burns, but the heat devours everything: it burns the leaves, the vegetation, and the grape dies,” He recounts Rodríguez. “When the heat approaches 50 m the grape is cooked, as if you put the fire. And if they are young vineyards, the damage is incalculable because you have to start.” From do Valdeorras Remember That the phenomenon even has a name, ‘araz’, “an excess of heat that interrupts the flow of saliva and dry the grape before maturation.” Have you affected the flames? The country Precise That the fires that have affected municipalities such as Oimbra, Laza or Verín have damaged two important varieties of the region, the Godello and Mencía. In some parishes, such as Ace Chás or Rosal, in addition to chestnuts, robes, olive trees and pasture areas have also burned vineyards. From the Valdeorras Regulatory Council they remembered a few days ago that the flames ended up crossing from the neighboring regions and entered for Larouco. Although it is early to know how the vineyards will affect the fire, there is a revealing fact: in 65.2% of the municipalities From Ourense there are planted vineyards. A delicate moment. The fire wave has caught the sector also at a particularly sensitive time: almost At the doors of the harvest. At the beginning of the month the regulatory advice of the four of Ourense trusted that the decrease in temperatures and the return of the rains favor the grape collection campaign, marked this year by the shortage of water of the summer. By then The region He slipped That, due to the delay in maturation due to water stress, the harvest could be delayed until the end of August or the beginning of next month. Now to drought, the cannula or the effect of mildew About strains add a new concern, even greater: forest fires. Images | Wikipedia, Ministry of Defense (X) In Xataka | That Ourense, León and Zamora concentrate this year the great fires have nothing casual: it is the “Triangle of Fire”

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.