Short and challenging, with some bright spots, such as Galicia, where the harvest was small but the healthiest in a decade. Above, Airèn grapes at Virgen de las Viñas co-operative in Valdeorras.
Twenty-five years ago, Spain had 1.5 million hectares of vineyard and produced 25 million hectolitres per year. Currently, Spain has 950,000 hectares (2.35 million acres) and a potential of 45 million hectolitres, according to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture. This number, which may seem contradictory, is due to the vineyard restructuring plans that Spain (and other European countries) implemented in 2001. These plans allowed for the optimisation and renewal...