We are already feeling the winds of a new vintage—the 2022 harvest season is quickly approaching and has been marked by a winter with little rainfall. The spring was within normal parameters, with a trend toward below-average temperatures, and consequently, the processes of fruit set, flowering, and veraison were generally long and led to a decrease in how much the clusters filled out and are therefore lighter. As a result, we are expecting a reduction in yields per hectare of approximately 10%.
In the coastal valleys, the October frosts slightly affected yields. During the summer, the heat summation had been rising slowly but surely, marking the trend of a rather cool season, until the first two weeks of February, which presented heat waves with temperatures of more than 35ºC, and that, along with the lack of water, set the scene for a harvest that, while not early, will be short and compressed in duration.
Casablanca: Thanks to winter irrigation, bud break began with good moisture levels in the soil, and this enables us to expect normal harvest dates and yields. The frosts were controlled without major problems due to the sprinkler system that protected buds and shoots, and we therefore expect yields that are slightly lower than projected, but still generally quite good.