Despite the initial pessimistic forecasts, rain and newly planted vineyards enabled a new record high in the amount of grapes harvested in the area.
The harvest started during the night of August 29th to 30th with the picking of the Sauvignon Blanc, a variety that ripens earlier than the rest, owing to its shorter vine growing cycle and faster ripening phase. The picking of the other varieties (Verdejo, Viura and Palomino) then followed before the harvesting was completed with the latest-ripening red varieties.
For this 2012 harvest, the registered surface area under vine was 12,826 hectares (31,680 acres) of which 95% were white wine varieties totalling 12.135 hectares (29,973 acres). The main and indigenous Rueda appellation variety, Verdejo, is clearly the majority grape, covering 10,255 hectares (25,329 acres). 92% of the Verdejo vines are trellised and are thus able to be harvested by machine. The 2012 campaign saw an increase of 242 hectares (597 acres), in vineyard surface area, creating a new record figure overall. This increase in 2012, coupled with new vineyards that have been planted over the last five years at a rate of 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) a year, explains the increase in production.
The crop forecasts at the beginning of the harvest were quite pessimistic, on account of the drought conditions prevalent throughout the whole of the year, poor vine shooting because of frost damage in some vineyards, poor fruit-setting of the Verdejo variety in some parcels and also high summer temperatures and heat-waves. However, the 78 million kilos of grapes finally harvested was a new record for the Rueda appellation. Subsequently, some batches of grapes, that were either disqualified by the technical department of the Control Board for not meeting the appellation’s quality standards or even disqualified by the producers themselves, did not enter in the final figure.
The crop brought into the cellars was in excellent health, and as a guarantee of quality control 50 crop supervisors were contracted by the appellation to oversee the fulfilling of the norms set out by the Rueda Control Board. The rain that fell on September 25th and 28th helped make up some of the crop deficit in some vineyards. However, yields were generally very irregular from plot to plot, so much so that in some of the appellation’s harvests losses were as high as 40-50% compared with previous years, especially those vineyards which hadn’t been able to irrigate and those located on poor soils. On the other hand, some vineyards which had just come into production or which had good sources of irrigation, managed to maintain and even increase production compared with previous years.
The Rueda appellation, today with all its 2012 crop in its cellars, will be able, without great difficulty, to ensure supply of its white wines to its markets and also to continue to develop its new markets abroad, especially in central European countries. Up till September, sales had risen by 13%, and forecasts indicate that sales will be over 60 million bottles this year.
During the 2012 campaign, two new wine-growing bodegas joined the appellation. These are Bodegas Hugad in Serrada (Valladolid) and Bodegas Herrero Vedel in Nieva (Segovia), as well as two new bottling wineries: these are Selección de Torres in Villafranca de Duero (Valladolid) and Bodegas Pinord in Rueda (Valladolid).
The number of kilograms harvested by variety was:
TOTAL CROP RECEPTION 2012 78,049,582
Verdejo: 65,670,463 Tempranillo: 969,994
Viura: 6,624,749 Merlot: 47,838
Palomino: 451,283 Grenache: 11,044
Sauvignon Blanc: 4,171,329 Cabernet Sauvignon: 102,882
You can consult on a daily basis the number of kilograms harvested at www.dorueda.com, either on the homepage or in the facts and figures section.
The latest information on the Rueda appellation can always be found at www.dorueda.com
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