The 2023 harvest has proven to be rough in just about every region around the world. The rising frequency of extreme weather events speaks to the challenges we will continue to grapple with as we face the consequences of climate change. Spain was not immune to these erratic conditions, with several catastrophic events devastating vineyards across the country. A sequence of droughts, hail storms, and heat waves all impacted grape production this year, and as wineries begin their harvest, it’s becoming evident that this year’s crop could be the smallest in Spain’s history.
According to a harvest forecast from La Semana Vitivinícola, Spain is expected to cultivate 34.25 million hectolitres of grapes this year on average, which would be 16.6 percent less than 2022, and the smallest harvest ever recorded for the country.
