Spain s 2012 harvest: Indigenous varieties show strength in a year dominated by low rainfall An exceptionally dry year across Spain has resulted in a modest crop often compensated by good potential quality. The exception is Galicia where the influence of the Atlantic was particularly strong presenting a different set of challenges for regions such as Rías Baixas and Ribeiro. Typically cooler weather came in September and, finally, rain too, which improved quality prospects for many and often brought yields up to more acceptable levels. In most regions the harvest both started early to achieve as much freshness as possible, notably for white varieties, and ended well into the autumn to allow all-important red varieties to reach optimum maturity. Thankfully Spain has a trump card to play in a year such as 2012: indigenous varieties. Across the regions there are numerous examples of how local grapes withstood the challenging conditions and produced healthy fruit. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cariñena, Monastrell, Bobal and Prieto Picudo stand out in this respect for reds and Verdejo for whites. Older vineyards and those located in cooler areas also generally fared better this year as well as irrigated vineyards. Irrigation is increasingly available in regions such as Navarra, Rueda and Cariñena. The total crop is likely to be modest: Spain s ministry of Agriculture and the Environment (MAGRAMA) forecasts 35.6m/hl, 7.8% less than 2011. The following analysis of Spain s harvest is divided into regional sections: 1. Galicia: Rías Baixas, Ribeiro, Monterrei, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras 2. The Duero Valley the north-west including Bierzo, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro, Cigales and Tierra de León 3. The north: Rioja and Navarra 4. Aragón: Campo de Borja, Cariñena, Calatayud and Somontano 5. North-central regions: La Mancha and Vinos de Madrid 6. Catalonia, Majorca and the Levant 7. The south: Jerez
1. Galicia DO Rías Baixas Adverse weather in the early growing period challenged growers in coastal Rías Baixas: March was dry and warm; April was humid, cold and generally changeable then June brought lower temperatures than usual and a lot of rain which resulted in widespread coulure or fruit shatter. Although conditions improved from that point onwards, the damage had already been done in terms of the final yield. Early expectations were for 50% less than 2011 but even that proved to be overly optimistic. Harvest took place a little later than usual as growers held out for quality if not quantity. Ruben Taboas at Adega Ruben says: Our yields were low but because of the small crop and good weather at the final stages of ripening the wines are very structured and balanced. 2012 harvest in Rías Baixas: Around 17.4m/kg substantially lower than 41.8m/kg in 2011 (it should be noted that both the 2010 and 2011 harvests were very abundant crops in the region). DO Ribeiro Ribeiro, located to the east of Rías Baixas, has a climate combining both Atlantic and Mediterranean influences. This year the Atlantic character dominated as can be seen in the outcome of the harvest which, as in the case of Rías Baixas, was very modest due to coulure and poor fruit set. On the other hand, the ripening period saw plenty of sun and a more favourable temperature variation from day to night (averaging over 20 C). This resulted in grapes with good freshness, ripeness and aromas with modest alcohol levels. The vintage started, gradually, at the start of September with earlier ripening Godello and Albariño grapes followed by Torrontés, Lado and Treixadura and finally Loureira. Most grapes were picked between Sept 28 th and October 7 th, a little later than usual due to the slower rate of ripening across all varieties. 2012 harvest in Ribeiro: 12.8m/kg (11.8m/kg white varieties/1m/kg red), 45% down on 2011 and 20% lower than an average year. DO Ribeira Sacra At Dominio do Bibei in Ribeira Sacra, David Bustos says: There was very little rain in the spring and summer was extremely dry. This is not the usual pattern in the region and vine development slowed as a result pushing harvest dates back. He reports low yields but good ripeness in the grapes [reds Mencía, Brancellao, Mouratón, Garnacha Tintorera and Sousón and typical Galician whites] and we expect good, long flavours in the wines thanks to complete phenolic ripeness. Acidity levels were also good across all varietals including Mencía - an unusual outcome - and this bodes well for wines destined for longer ageing.
2012 harvest in Ribeira Sacra: 5.5m/kg (7m/kg in 2011, 5.6m/kg in 2010 and 5.3m/kg in 2009) DO Monterrei Fine spring weather during flowering and good weather leading up to the vintage resulted in a more generous harvest for Monterrei. White grapes represented 1.8m kg this year the main varieties being Godello, Treixadura, Dona Blanca and Albariño. Despite being the smallest of Galicia s DO regions Monterrei is expanding: 27 new growers were incorporated this year. 2012 harvest in Monterrei: 2.7m/kg, the highest crop in the region s history and up from 2.2m/kg in 2011. DO Valdeorras Rain during the flowering period resulted in poor fruit set and is largely responsible for a modest crop in Valdeorras this year and much lower yields of Godello and Mencía. August was especially dry and slowed ripening but vines caught up thanks to rain in September. 2012 harvest in DO Valdeorras: 5.4m/kg; 25% down on 2011. Key grape varieties: Godello 1.7m/kg; Mencía 1.7m/kg; Garnacha Tintorera 994,000kg 2. The Duero Valley and the north-west DO Bierzo As a result of the dry conditions, vine development proceeded at a much slower pace compared to the previous year in Bierzo and the vintage started around two weeks later than usual. This year s crop is significantly lower in yield compared to the abundant crop of 2011 but just 5.5% less than an average year. The region s flagship red Mencía and the white variety Godello benefited from the slower ripening process which favoured a good balance between alcohol, acidity and ph levels. The harvest was also extended by autumn rains with picking resuming when the conditions were dry enough to ensure that fruit was in good condition. Expect Mencía wines with strong varietal identity, excellent colour and fruit profile and Godello wines with plenty of character. For Ricardo Palacios (Descendientes de J. Palacios) the weather was erratic throughout the growing season not that this is unusual in Bierzo, he says. The harvest was particularly challenging and long but he s pleased with the outcome. He adds: It was difficult to decide when to harvest and ripeness was uneven. But I m pleased with the wines; they are elegant, not too rich and Atlantic in style very representative of the region - and slightly lower in alcohol that the 2011 vintage (13.5-14 vs 14.5-15 in 2011). The style could be similar to 2010 and 2001.
In view of the fresher style from this harvest Palacios foresees a light oaking regime he s likely to opt for older barrels and larger barrels (500l) for the new wines. 2012 harvest in Bierzo: 15m/kg; (Mencía 10m/kg; Godello.6m/kg) DO Cigales Producers in Cigales are upbeat about quality and quantity following a surprising outcome to this harvest. In early September expectations had been for yields 15% down on 2011 but much needed autumn rains enabled grapes to complete their ripening process without jeopardising quality and yields turned out to be more generous. This year we can say that the grapes picked in this DO are practically organic as we ve been able to reduce the use of sulphur thanks to the low probability and absence of any disease threatening the vines, said Agueda del Val, technical director at the region s Consejo Regulador. 2012 harvest in Cigales: 8.1 m/kg, 8% more than 2011. DO area: 2,158ha/ 35 bodegas. Red wines dominate production and Tempranillo is the main variety for both red and rosé wines. White varieties include Verdejo and Albillo. DO Rueda Early estimates pointed to a modest crop in Rueda mainly due to the year-long drought. Other adversities were spring frost at bud break in some areas, poor fruit set in some Verdejo vineyards and heat spikes over the summer. However rain late in the season (25th and 28 th September) and 242 hectares of new vineyards boosted the crop to a new record level. Yields varied considerably from one parcel to another: volume could be down by up to 50% in vineyards without irrigation or where vines are located on poor soils whereas those with irrigation offered a more abundant crop. Harvest started in late August with early ripening Sauvignon Blanc and continued with Verdejo, Viura and Palomino. Marco Sanz who oversees the vineyards for Bodegas Menade says: We fought against the negative effects of the lack of water and the heat through irrigation and water diffusion keeping humidity constant though the ripening period [for Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc]. José Antonio Merayo at Bodegas Val de Vid adds: Younger vineyards were more affected by the extreme weather this year; vineyards that are 20 years old or more produced more consistent yields and fruit from these vineyards ripened better as well. In general bunches were smaller and lighter and although yields were lower, quality was higher due to greater fruit concentration. He is optimistic about this year s wines, which are showing great balance, freshness, elegance and finesse. 2012 harvest in Rueda: 78m/kg. DO area: 12,826ha, 95% white varieties, mostly Verdejo.
DO Ribera del Duero In Ribera del Duero drought, late frosts in February and isolated incidents of hail in July reduced yields. Thankfully the harvest conditions were generally very favourable almost throughout with rainy conditions threatening quality only towards the end. The lack of rain over winter had the most influence on this year s crop according to Ismael González, vineyard manager at Pago de los Capellanes. The dry winter followed an unusually dry autumn in 2011 when many vineyards started to show signs of stress. At Pago de los Capellanes the crop is 25% down on 2011 and it s been a challenging year in the vineyard: Over the summer there was very little rain but just enough for grapes to ripen adequately. The conditions meant that we had to work intensely in the vineyard and decide carefully when to prune and deleaf etc to help the vine to complete its cycle in the best possible way. Commenting on the region s main variety, Tempranillo, he adds: Tempranillo is a rustic variety and well suited to our region, but even so it suffered from the drought - bud break was later than usual and uneven. Fortunately it rained at the end of July which refreshed the vines and, notably, in mid September and at this point the rain significantly improved the prospects for good quality. González also notes that older vines tended to fare better due to their deeper roots. He concludes that 2012 is a good year with slightly lower alcohol levels compared to recent vintages and good ageing potential. The vintage report from Torres notes that some cooler areas of the region such as Moradillo de Roa and Olmos de Peñafiel ripened very well this year. Their winemaking team also found alcohol levels to be lower than usual while phenolic ripeness was more pronounced. In summary quality could be particularly good from this vintage in Ribera del Duero. 2012 harvest in DO Ribera del Duero: Around 85m/kg, similar to the 2010 harvest. DO Tierra de León In line with the trend across Spain, yields were low this year in Tierra de León, especially for Prieto Picudo, but excellent quality across all varieties allowed almost the entire harvest to achieve DO classification to the detriment of the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León and Vino de Mesa categories. The lack of water resulted in small berries and bunches but disease barely registered this year. The mood was very positive at harvest time and there are high hopes for this year s wines. 2012 harvest in Tierra de León: 3.9m/kg. Main red varieties: Prieto Picudo (70% of plantings); others: Mencía and Tempranillo. Main white varieties: Albarín and Verdejo. DO Toro In Toro summer temperatures were lower than usual and only rose over 40 C on a few days, which compensated for the dry conditions. Fresher nights from mid August also helped vines to reach optimum ripeness in the six weeks leading up to harvest and tamed alcohol levels.
Paloma San Ildelfonso of Bodegas Sobreño says: Tempranillo (Tinta del Toro) grapes ripened well bunches were small and clusters were loose and healthy. Yields were low but the wines look promising with intense colour, good fruit profile and ripe tannins, which will help us to achieve roundness and good mouthfeel in the finished wines. The fresher summer also resulted in slightly lower alcohol levels and a slightly higher acidity and this bodes well for quality in wines destined for ageing. 3. The north: Rioja and Navarra DOCa Rioja The viticultural year in Rioja was generally without any serious incidents with the exception of two hailstorms in the Alavesa in June and July respectively. As a result some vineyards around the towns of Samaniego, Baños de Ebro and Leza lost their entire production this year and others were damaged. Harvest started promptly at Galilea and Ausejo in the Rioja Baja on August 21 st with early ripening varieties Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay (both are non-traditional varieties adopted by the DO in 2007). It was in full swing by the third week of September and continued, punctuated by occasional rain, until the last week of October. The most significant rain fell on September 28 th and 29 th. Depending on area this varied from 25-60 litres and it was generally welcome after an extremely dry summer however opinions vary according to area and producer. Irrigation, where available, is also permitted in Rioja on a carefully controlled basis from August 15 th. There will be cases where the September (and October) rains helped grapes to achieve full maturity and balance after a challenging growing period which witnessed uneven ripening from one parcel to another. Vines cultivated on deeper soils with better water reserves and vineyards located in fresher areas generally fared better. Careful and selective harvesting was essential throughout Rioja to achieve good quality this year. Marcos Eguren at Bodegas Sierra Cantabria bodegas says: The wines from 2012 look very structured, tannic and they have strong colour. I think they will develop well, in a similar way to the 1990 vintage those wines were tannic initially, even a bit aggressive and not very expressive but over time they developed well and became fantastic wines. At Bodegas Baigorri in Rioja Alavesa Simón Arina, technical director, adds: This is the healthiest crop for 10 years. Tempranillo shows particularly good colour and ripeness but we ve had to keep a close eye on acidity levels we picked Tempranillo earlier than usual - and ph. Garnacha performs well in dry years and although yields are also low for white varieties, the quality is generally good. 2012 harvest in Rioja: this year s crop of 356m/kg is somewhat lower than the 387m/kg in 2011. Some 62,209ha were in production within the DO for this harvest, an increase of 67 on 2011. Production is predominantly red - 58,442ha compared to 3,767ha for whites DO Navarra Harvest is typically fairly drawn out in Navarra due to the wide selection of grape varieties grown and the different climatic conditions among the region s five sub-zones.
This year it was particularly protracted due to the dry conditions and slow maturation; the main harvest started on August 16 th with early-ripening varieties in the warmer southern Ribera Baja and concluded with the last Cabernet grapes in cooler areas such as Ribera Alta at the end of October. Moscatel de grano menudo grapes for sweet wines are harvested well into the autumn. There is generally satisfaction over quality if not quantity. However, with over 50% of vineyards now having irrigation systems many growers could maintain production levels over an exceptionally dry summer. Pablo Pávez, winemaker at Bodegas Príncipe de Viana says: Chardonnay grapes were high in quality especially in areas where vines didn t suffer from lack of water and acidity levels could be maintained. The wines are rich in citrus aromas and tropical fruit and generous in the mouth. Tempranillo, Cabernet, Garnacha and Graciano all ripened well, he says. The best Tempranillo has black fruit and great concentration as well as ripe tannins it s a very promising year for this variety. The other three red varieties show similar characteristics for this vintage, which Pávez compares to 2011 in quality but with even more concentration. 2012 harvest in Navarra: 63m/kg, 12% less than 2011. Red varieties represent 91% of the crop for this harvest and comprise: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot, Cabernet, Graciano, Mazuelo, Pinot Noir and Syrah. White varieties include Chardonnay, Viura, Malvasía, Sauvignon Blanc and Moscatel de grano menudo. DO area: 11,500ha 4. Aragón DO Calatayud, DO Campo de Borja and DO Cariñena (south-west Aragón) In Calatayud, Campo de Borja and Cariñena the rustic Garnacha, a later-ripening variety, benefited from autumn rains. The outcome of the harvest has been far more positive than many had expected. Norrel Robertson MW heads up El Escocés Volante and makes wine throughout the region. He says: One of the virtues of Garnacha is its ability to withstand extreme drought and the break in the weather [in September] surprised many as what has started out as a tough potential harvest has actually produced some great quality fruit. As drought held ripening back during the year, alcohol levels are not actually all that excessive and in fact will be a little bit down on normal years. With some irregularity in ripening growers and winemakers had to be patient and wait to bring parcels to full ripeness and the harvest had a stop-start nature. In terms of winemaking there has been a tendency to macerate less and press off a little bit early to ensure the wines do not become too astringent or tannic. Overall there is good quality from a challenging harvest where harvesting has gone on into the end of October and November in some areas. DO Calatayud Bud break was somewhat irregular in the vineyards of Calatayud where Garnacha is the leading grape variety. A magnificent fruit set followed in June giving rise to high initial hopes for this year s harvest of around 11m kg.
The hot, dry summer, which followed, led to more modest forecasts over yield and an outcome which is expected to be in line with last year s crop. Picking commenced on 15 th September with Macabeo followed by Tempranillo and Syrah. Attention turned to Garnacha in early October with the harvest extending into early November as different areas reached optimum ripeness. Irrigation systems have not been established to a significant extent in Calatayud indeed the nature of the vineyards - at 550-1,040m - can make irrigation unviable. However, there is a tendency for growers to establish vineyards in fresher areas and/or areas where there is possible access to water reserves for irrigation during a dry summer. 2012 harvest in Calatayud: 8m/kg (estimate) DO Campo de Borja The viticultural year followed a similar pattern in Campo de Borja, another major area of production for Garnacha. Extending over 82 days, the harvest commenced on August 16 th and lasted until Nov 5 th. 2012 harvest in Campo de Borja: 23.4m/kg, 8.6% less than 2011 but 3.5% more than the average of the last two decades. DO Cariñena As in so many areas, the extreme heat of July and, notably, August reduced the yield in Cariñena. However the region is increasingly able to cope with dry conditions: 6,000 ha (41%) of vineyards are now equipped with irrigation systems which proved to be particularly beneficial in this exceptionally dry year. Fruit quality was generally high with cooler areas and irrigated vineyards offering the best results in both quality and yield. 2012 harvest in Cariñena: 75m/kg (estimate), 6% up on 2011 but 5.4% less than average of recent years. DO Somontano (north-east Aragón) For Somontano, a dry winter and dry conditions from July through to September resulted in the lowest vintage for a decade despite generous spring rains. Leading variety Cabernet Sauvignon fared relatively well while yields were particularly low for Tempranillo, Merlot and Chardonnay as well as less widely planted varieties Garnacha Blanca, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. 2012 harvest in Somontano: 15m/kg, 16% less than 2011. Key red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Syrah and Garnacha Tinta. Key white varieties: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Macabeo. Total area: 3,487ha.
5. North-central regions DO La Mancha Extreme weather conditions dominated the viticultural year in La Mancha: winter and spring were particularly cold and rainfall over the entire year was remarkably low. The yield was very low in areas without irrigation with the overall crop expected to be down by 15-20% - this is similar result to 2011 and marks a second low yield for the region. On the other hand, there was no hail or frost of any significance or reports of disease such as mildew and grape quality was generally high. La Mancha s vineyards are increasingly varied in terms of grape varieties, which can prove to be advantageous in a year such as 2012 for growers no longer dependent on one variety alone. The white Airén is still widely planted across the region but Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Moscatel de grano menudo are increasingly favoured by growers. Tempranillo is the most widely planted red with other reds including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Garnacha. DO Vinos de Madrid Depending on area, there was 40-50% less rainfall in the Vinos de Madrid region and almost no rain between December and March. This delayed the growing cycle by around a week. Bud break started with the white Albillo variety in the San Martín sub-zone followed by other varieties such as Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon throughout the region. Dry conditions kept disease at bay and limited the need for treatments and, despite the prolonged drought, there were few cases of vine stress or grapes shrivelling. Most grapes reached good phenolic ripeness without excessively high sugar levels but with somewhat less acidity than usual, said Mario Bravo, head of viticulture at the region s Consejo Regulador. 2012 harvest in DO Vinos de Madrid: 15m/kg, 20% less than an average year 6. Catalonia, Majorca and the Levant DO Catalunya Growers working within the wider DO Catalunya were grateful for generous rainfall in the spring when dry, hot conditions started in early June and continued, along with heat spikes, for the entire summer. This brought the start of harvest forward by around a week compared to an average year with the first grapes picked on 16 th August. Early ripening varieties such as Chardonnay and Moscatel are down in volume by 27% this year and the total crop is expected to be 15-20% down on a typical year. Late ripening varieties such as Parellada and Cabernet Sauvignon fared better and produced more abundant yields thanks to some welcome rain in August and fresher weather in September.
Despite modest volumes overall, the crop is up by 2.5% compared to 2011 due to more growers operating within the DO Catalunya classification, according to its Consejo Regulador. Conditions favoured good ripeness, sugar levels and phenolic structure particularly for late ripening red varieties. The vintage report from Torres describes a long harvest which began early due to the heat and drought of the summer and ended two months later. The ongoing dry conditions and high temperatures in August caused stress in earlier ripening varieties and accelerated ripening but for most of the harvest the results were more positive. Garnacha Tinta, Cariñena and Cabernet Sauvignon stood out after a gentler pace of ripening and all show good ageing potential. This is generally an excellent harvest with balanced musts, correct sugars and healthy grapes, concludes Torres. DO Empordà The harvest report from Empordà describes many adversities including unfavourable spring weather which brought strong wind and hail at precisely the wrong time. Later, on July 23 rd, a devastating fire swept through 12,000 ha in Alt Empordà damaging certain vineyards. Volumes are modest for 2012 and are expected to be in line with recent years with the exception of 2011, which was described as an exceptional year in terms of both quality and quantity. This year s good harvest conditions allowed grapes to be picked at optimum ripeness for each variety - and at a steady pace over a long harvest from mid August to mid October. The first wines show bright colour and are well balanced with good aromas. Main reds: Cariñena and Garnacha Tinta. Others: Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Main whites: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Moscatel and Xarel-lo. Others: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. DO Pla de Bages Growers in Pla de Bages harvested 15% fewer grapes compared to 2011. Towards the end of the summer significantly lower temperatures at night benefited the ripening process. As in many areas, disease was not an issue and fruit quality was generally described as very good. DOCa Priorat The lack of spring and summer rains in Priorat brought the harvest forward by 10-15 days depending on vineyard location. Dry weather is also responsible for a modest yield, which is 7% lower than last year. Key grapes Garnacha and Cariñena stand out for quality both being well adapted to hot, dry conditions. Álvaro Palacios describes 2012 as one of the driest vintages that I have ever seen yet in Priorat (and Rioja Baja) Garnacha has performed remarkably well. Palacios says: In a drought Garnacha produces the best quality. Palacios tends to pick late each vintage and this year, like many, he could take advantage of the cooler autumn conditions and rain, a lot of rain towards the end of harvest. The grapes were healthy and consistent in quality and the rain didn t cause a problem. It s a fabulous
year for Garnacha Last September was very hot so the 2011 wines are quite big but this year there was nothing in excess (in the grapes). The wines are showing intense colour, great focus and elegance. 2012 harvest in DOCa Priorat: 4.7m/kg DO Montsant In Montsant the dry summer and intense heat of August brought the harvest forward by around a week to start on 25 th August. It continued well into the autumn due to the variety of microclimates and grape varieties within the region ending in early November. Across all varieties grapes ripened well 94% of the crop being reds led by Garnacha, Cariñena and Tempranillo and 6% whites predominantly Garnacha Blanca with some Chardonnay and Pansal (Xarel-lo). 2012 harvest in DO Montsant: 6.4m/kg, 1.5m/kg less than in 2011 Maj ajorca: DO Binissalem and DO Pla i Llevant In DO Binissalem harvest started early, on July 7 th, after one of the hottest summers of the last 30 years for the Balearic Island. The extreme drought was offset by the use of irrigation for the first time. There is general satisfaction with quality, especially for later ripening indigenous varieties (red) Manto Negro and (white) Moll (Xarel-lo). Manto Negro is the most widely planted red variety followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Tempranillo and Callet. Moll dominates white plantings while other white varieties include Chardonnay, Moscatel, Macabeo and Parellada. Red varieties accounted for 75% of the crop in 2012. The total harvest of 2.8m/kg represents an increase of 2.8% on 2011 largely due a modest increase in the production area. At Can Majoral (DO Pla i Llevant) Mireia Majoral says that grapes ripened quicker than usual but that quality held up: This year, as there was so little rain, we had no mildew which is important. The quality of Callet and Mantonegro grapes was very good and good for Parellada, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet. DO Jumilla Rain finally came to Jumilla at the end of September but it was both welcome and modest in contrast to the torrential rains that hit other areas of the southeast at the same time. At Bodegas Juan Gil, Monastrell stands out in this vintage. Berries were smaller but Monastrell stood up to the drought and hotter temperatures than usual perfectly well the grapes were healthy and intensely flavoured; this year s wines might be more structured but they will be more expressive and the tannins will be more subtle. On the whole quality is very good for all wine styles but our crop is 30% down, says Bartolomé Abellán.
DO Utiel-Requena Manuel Olmo at Bodega Sierra Norte in Utiel-Requena says that his crop is low down by 35% - but that the Bobal variety also held up well. He says: Due to many hours of sun and cloud-free days the cycle was often two weeks shorter than usual despite our location at 940m. As the harvest was earlier than usual, the day/night temperature differentiation wasn t as wide, so we have reservations about ageing potential. In the case of younger wines, we can certainly see good aromas and balance between acidity, alcohol and polyphenols. DO Valencia The vintage started promptly, in early August, with early ripening varieties white grapes Chardonnay, Malvasía, Verdil as well as Pinot Noir and Merlot. In late August it continued with reds Tempranillo and Garnacha Tintorera and finally the late ripening varieties Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon and Bobal were picked. Harvest finished in the cooler, high-lying Alto Túria sub-region in mid October. 2012 vintage in Valencia: 57m/kg, 15% down on 2011 7. The south: Jerez DO Jerez ez For sherry s homeland, Jerez, a significantly lower crop this year is largely attributed to the lack of rainfall just over 300 litres fell over the viticultural year, which is half the average for the region. Production levels varied quite considerably within the DO: for inland Trebujena yields were down by around a third while in some areas of coastal Chiclana and Chipiona production even exceeded last year s yields. Grape quality was high and Baumé levels generally exceeded 11.5. 2012 harvest: 47m/kg, 27% less than 2011. November 2012, Patricia Langton