This year’s dire harvest in the Spanish region has been scarred by drought, with the situation proving “unsustainable for many”, db learns. The 2024 harvest in Jumilla has left vineyards “on the brink of destruction”, revealed Paco Gil, co-owner of Gil Family Estates, which owns bodegas from eight different DOs, including Jumilla, across Spain. The region’s main grape variety, Monastrell, is almost always dry-farmed in Jumilla, and in the absence of rain it has faced “a 60% reduction” in yields at the group’s Juan Gil vineyard in Jumilla compared to an average year. Irrigation is permitted by the DO, but the problem is that there are not enough water resources for vineyards. “This is the third consecutive year with similar conditions and the situation is unsustainable for many,” said Gil, who praised the “remarkable resilience” shown by growers. A little rain in September “gave a glimmer of hope,” he said. “And we believe that some vineyards that were on the brink of destruction have been able to regain some reserves. If winter brings us more rain and some cool weather, they will recover.” One great relief, according to Gil, is that “the small amount of fruit that we harvested is very high quality”. Plants suffering Speaking to the drinks business, Esther González de Paz, communications and marketing manager for Wines of Jumilla, confirmed: “In Jumilla, we are on the third year in a row with very bad drought, and the production this year is very low. The plants are suffering to
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
