Drought causing less wine production but higher quality
DO Empordà in northern Catalonia warn of 20% smaller harvest and say wild boars have become a "plague"
Winemakers in the Empordà region of northern Catalonia warn that the ongoing drought will mean a significant drop in production this year.
Members of the DO Empordà association warn that the yield this year will be around 20% smaller, which will translate into around 6 million fewer liters of wine produced.
However, despite the figures, they also say that the wine will be of a higher quality this year.
President of the Technical Commission of the DO Regulatory Council, Pau Albó, explained that the drought has meant that the vines have not grown enough, there is a smaller grain, and they have had to be thinned out to allow proper maturation.
The lack of water has meant that the vines have not grown enough, although they have been free of "diseases."
Wild boars
The lack of water is compounded by wild boars and roe deer damaging vineyards. "They have become a plague," says Albó.
The problem has become cyclical, as normally the animals would be able to find enough food and water in the mountains, but with their regular sources reduced, they are turning to vineyards and other crops.
The fact that there are fewer irrigated crops such as corn has caused them to come in droves.
To address this, the Regulatory Council of DO Empordà is again asking for measures from administrations to avoid this situation that repeats itself every year.