In Galicia began the 2026 grape harvest in all five Denominaciones de Origen in mid-August – earlier than ever before on record. Rías Baixas, Ribeiro, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras were the first to begin harvesting selected plots; the D.O. Monterrei joined them at the start of the week. The appellation councils report that the grapes are in very good health and are ripe. They cite unusually early physiological ripening this summer as the main reason for the historic head start.
Expert bodies and industry representatives attribute this development to climate change: rising average temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are shortening growing seasons and bringing traditional harvest dates forward. According to the appellation councils, several D.O.s have seen a trend towards earlier harvest starts for years; some industry figures estimate that the harvest has moved forward by almost a month in a decade. This year’s campaign confirms that trend, although the councils point to regional differences between coastal and inland areas.
The signs are mixed economically. While winegrowers highlight the very good physiological ripeness of the grapes, the agricultural union Unións Agrarias (UU.AA.) warns that purchase prices are below production costs. The organisation is calling for an official observatory to calculate and publish the cost per kilogram of grapes for each D.O., as well as effective penalties for buyers who pay below these thresholds. Unións Agrarias expects the current campaign to yield more than 80 million kilos of grapes in Galicia and stresses that contracts and settlements must reflect costs realistically. These demands were reiterated publicly on 21 August 2026.
Reliable figures for total yields and average sale prices will only be available once the harvest is complete. The appellation councils and Xunta de Galicia intend to publish official figures in the coming weeks. One thing is already clear: the significantly earlier start across all five appellations has immediate implications for logistics and cellar capacity. In the medium to long term, the sector is likely to consider adjusting harvest planning, grape varieties and winemaking strategies in response to shifting ripening patterns. Forecasts for price and export effects will have to wait until the harvest is over and official statistics have been analysed.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).