Harvest ends in D.O. Ribeira Sacra while wineries bottle like before the pandemic

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On October 20th, 6,545,331 kilos of grapes were collected in D.O. Ribeira Sacra. Harvest ends almost two weeks later than last year and after officially starting on September 16th, although some wineries began with the grape harvest at the end of August. 93 wineries harvested this campaign under D.O. Ribeira Sacra yielding the following amounts per grape variety:

Red varieties:

• Mencía 5.231.856 kilos
• Garnacha 248.895 kilos
• Sousón 100.964 kilos
• Merenzao 59.127 kilos
• Brancellao 62.418 kilos
• Tempranillo 32.565 kilos
• Caíño tinto 32.576 kilos
• Mouratón 9.200 kilos
• Grao Negro 638 Kilos

White varieties:

• Godello 589.566 kilos
• Albariño 96.873 kilos
• Treixadura 60.895 kilos
• Dona Branca 7.346 kilos
• Blanco Legítimo 4.614 kilos
• Loureira 4.371 kilos
• Torrontés 3.327 kilos

Last year weather made it a difficult year for the vineyard, but in 2021 weather was better than expected and the season closed as expected, as say the President of the Regulatory Council of the Ribeira Sacra Denomination of Origin, José Manuel Rodríguez, “The expectations of exceeding 6 million kilos were met. The grape entered the winery in good condition, with a good degree, in the average of the last 10 years. Prices were maintained, with an average of € 1.60 for white and € 1.20 for red, and all the grapes were harvested, which is important. "

With the end of the state of health alarm this Saturday, José Manuel Rodríguez reviews how this situation was experienced in the D.O. Ribeira Sacra and in the sector, “It was lived as one of those things that nobody expects, a dark space that comes and that is not counted on. Fortunately our sector had a reasonably good time. The largest wineries were able to continue to be on the market and to open new commercial spaces. This meant that in the last two years all the grapes were harvested and even their average price rose, which gives an idea of the capacity of winegrowers and winemakers to move the sector forward and remain in very difficult conditions. "
 
Regarding sales, José Manuel Rodríguez assures that the rhythm of 2 years ago is beginning to recover. At the same time, national and international fairs are beginning to be held with what they involve sales and the opening of new markets, “We are returning to what was underway in 2019, before the pandemic, when D.O. Ribeira Sacra was increasing sales and entering the market further. We spent that time of a pandemic that affected all sectors and now we see they are bottling at the rate of 2 years ago. "