• The 2024 harvest began on 28 August and lasted until 4 November, facing a period of unprecedented climatic challenges
• Despite being one of the most demanding harvests, the required ripening conditions were achieved, resulting in high-quality grapes

Roa, 14 November 2024 – 'The challenging harvest'. When it comes to describing the 2024 harvest, it is important to highlight the many challenges that the Ribera del Duero Designation of Origin has managed to successfully overcome. Sixty-eight days of intense winemaking activity took place between 28 August and 4 November, with one of the most adverse spring seasons in recent memory. This harvest season has faced extreme weather conditions that have strained both the vines and the winegrowers' endurance.

This year, the harvest experienced a significant 18.8% reduction in terms of crop volume compared to 2023, reporting a total of 95,496,603 kilos of grapes. Of this amount, 99.35% corresponds to red grape varieties, and the remaining 0.65% represents white grapes. The main players in this harvest were a total of 5,047 growers with 26,658 hectares of registered vineyards.

In terms of harvesting techniques, manual harvesting continued to be the predominant choice, being used in 68.85% of the vineyards. This ensures precision when selecting the bunches and maintains their unparalleled quality throughout the whole process. Mechanical harvesting techniques were used in only 31.15% of the total land area, which highlights the region's commitment to harvesting practices with a focus on quality.

Once again, technology has been a fundamental ally thanks to the implementation of the WebBacchus application, an innovative platform developed by the Ribera del Duero Regulatory Council. This pioneering tool has provided essential support to the certification teams and technicians by making monitoring easier and reaffirming quality at every stage of the process. In addition, the constant presence of specialised staff in the field—such as gaugers, campaign assistants, coordinators, and auditors—has been key to ensuring that each stage of the harvest meets the rigorous quality standards of the Designation of Origin.

The weather, a constant challenge for the grape harvest

The 2024 vintage developed under difficult weather conditions. The usual frosts in the Ribera del Duero region and the hailstorms that occurred during the spring, which had an uneven impact on the vineyards throughout the geographical area of the Designation of Origin, were then followed by abundant rainfall and significant temperature variations in the middle of the grape harvest in September and October.

Such extreme conditions hit the vines from the flowering stage all the way through to ripening, thereby challenging the vines at every stage of the process. However, these same climatic factors have also played a critical role in the development of high-quality grapes, which are full of promise for developing into exceptional wines.

Despite all the adversity, the capacity for adaptation shown by the vine growers and wineries has been remarkable. They managed to adjust harvest times to take advantage of the best possible conditions and obtained their bunches at their optimum ripeness. "This strategic management has not only compensated for the reduction in the volume of the harvest, but also provided an ideal balance in the alcoholic and phenolic ripening processes, ensuring the health and integrity of the grapes. The anticipated result is a vintage that stands out for its complexity and depth, reflecting the resilience and ingenuity of Ribera del Duero in turning climatic challenges into high-quality wines", says Alberto Tobes, head of Viticulture and Oenology at the Ribera del Duero D.O. Regulatory Council.

A vintage characterised by its freshness, elegance, and complexity

The 2024 vintage promises a palette of vibrant whites and rosés, characterised by intense aromatics and freshness, while the reds will reveal their elegant structure and nuanced complexity. Enrique Pascual, president of the Ribera del Duero D.O., is optimistic about the season: "The great heterogeneity of the soils, the terrain, the altitude, and the orientation of our vineyards, together with the know-how of our winemakers, will be reflected in the wines from the 2024 vintage, which will be produced and released on the market showing the diversity, complexity, and great quality of those wines".

This year's harvest has not only consolidated the dedication to quality and innovation, but has also highlighted Ribera del Duero's resilience and mastery in overcoming natural challenges. These efforts underline the region's unwavering commitment to excellence, further confirming its position as one of the world's most emblematic and unique Denominations of Origin.