News from Jerez 23.8.12

Beltran Domecq, President of the Consejo Regulador of Jerez has been out in the vineyards to see for himself the difficulties of the 2012 harvest. He acknowledged that the expected drop in yields this year was about 20%, but given the extended drought and the heatwaves experienced this August, the figure could drop further. If the 2013 vintage were as bad, it would pose serious problems for Jerez.  At least this year’s harvest is looking good from a quality point of view.

However if one looks back there is hope. This year has brought barely 350 litres/square metre of rain, but last year brought more than the average at 750 l/ m2, and the previous year over 1000 l/m2.  Reserve stocks are not too bad but could be under pressure from the small crop, caused by the weather and also a drop of about 9% in vineyard area due to uprooting.

Sr Domecq reckons that existing stocks will see the bodegas through the next four to four and a half years. The chances of four more years like this are most unlikely, but not impossible what with global warming. However one shouldn’t forget the capacity of the albariza soils for water retention, allowing the vines access to water under extreme conditions.

Sr Domecq also pointed out the importance of the growers. “Nobody who loves Sherry should forget that the wine starts in the vineyards: the land. It is a fundamental pillar which we should value.”

News from Jerez 21.8.12

As the 2012 harvest gets underway the growers' organisation Asevi-Asaja is forecasting a drop in production of about 30%, due more than anything else to the severe drought, and 5-10% more of a drop than predicted. These figures are averages, and some areas are worse affected than others, meaning the drop could be as high as 50% in some places. At least the quality looks to be good with high sugar levels - already 11.5 Beaume  inland - and no signs of rot on the grapes. It is reckoned about 50,000 butts of must will be produced - 20,000 fewer than last year.

The first musts will be used for the "pie de cuba" - an easily controlled small fermentation which will help with the main one, and also for the many Palomino table wines. It is a horrendous year for the pickers who start at 07.30 and by 11.00 the temperature is already 40C, so that by 14.30 they cannot work any more that day. Also when the grapes arrive at the presses so hot they can oxidise and lose water - or weight by which the growers are paid. There are plenty machines however, which can work at night and bring in cooler grapes, destemming as they go.

News from Jerez 23.7.12

The latest predictions for the 2012 Sherry harvest are that it will be smaller by 15% to 20% on last year - a smaller than average harvest in itself. Furthermore, it will be a couple of weeks later. The budding was late on the vines and the grapes are still very small. The absence of rain coupled with high temperatures - daytime as well as night-time - are the causes. Trebujena has suffered the most and is facing a possible 30% drop in production.

Everyone is nervous; the growers because of the delay and the low quantities, and the bodegas about the price of grapes. It will be a seller's market for grapes, and the bodegas are offering incentives to try and guarantee supplies to meet foreign demand. The cooperatives have no wine to sell to the bodegas.

With only 6,400 hectares in production, it looks unlikely that there will be enough wine to cover sales. In a situation of such uneasy balance there is no room for manoeuvre, so with a 20% reduction in the harvest, and for sales of 84,000 butts (42 million litres) against stocks of 370,000 butts, a potential shortage is calculated of some 20,000 butts. Price rises are looking likely, especially since Sherry has been so cheap for so long.