The atypical 2020 harvest in Ribera del Duero

The atypical 2020 harvest in Ribera del Duero has come to an end and with very positive results. This year's campaign will become the third most productive in the history of the Designation of Origin. To put it in perspective, it will exceed more than 120 million kilos of grapes. Just behind the 2016 harvest, and that of 2018, when more than 133 and 125.4 million kilos of grapes were collected, respectively.

Most of the grapes collected correspond to the red varieties and especially to Tempranillo. This year we have to take into account the incorporation of the Albillo Mayor variety into the harvest; this grape has been used since the previous campaign to produce the white wines protected under the DO. From a climate viewpoint, it has been a rather unusual year and longer than usual.

In this atypical Ribera del Duero harvest, the changing weather has played a major role. Harvesting began in September and was forced to stop two weeks later due to heavy rains that in some areas reached up to 60 litres per square metre/day. Since then, having to stop due to rainfall has been habitual compared to other years. Fortunately, the rain has alternated with the wind, which has allowed the plants to air and dry out. The result is that the fruit has arrived at the winery in excellent condition and perfect ripeness. The first tastings of this Pagos del Rey harvest, point to fresh young wines that are highly colourful and aromatic.

We must note that the situation with the pandemic has also played a part in this 2020 campaign. Fortunately, its effects on the wine have been minimal. To minimise the impact, we increased the number of local grape pickers in addition to facilitating access to control tests for seasonal workers arriving from other health zones.

Now we’re starting a new phase. The team of winemakers must continue working to be able to offer the highest quality and characteristic profile of our entire Altos de Tamarón range.