The Penedès vineyard, in high tension: the winegrowers foresee a sharp fall in the price of grapes

Saint Sadurní of AnoiaPenedès winegrowers have not been so afraid of the future as they are today. They have several indicators to reinforce their fear: Freixenet (which is 100% owned by the German group Henkell)So, 2024 was due to drought, but 2025 because another bubbly product had already been invented and, therefore, he no longer needed to buy grapes from Penedès, has resulted in two years in which the major producer in the territory does not buy grapes. Last year, there were vineyards that were not harvested, there were winegrowers who sold grapes without a price (without knowing what price they would be paid).

Vineyard in good condition

All in all, the forecast from the president of the Association of Penedès Winegrowers is that the price of grapes could plummet this harvest because there will be little demand and a lot of supply. "It has rained, the vineyard is fine, and if there are no other meteorological changes, meaning no frosts or hailstorms, everything points to it being a good harvest, but if there is no demand, there will be a surplus," points out Josep Anton Vendrell. For their part, Freixenet did not want to respond to ARA's question about the number of cava bottles they have stopped producing, stating that it is "confidential information".

Regarding the harvested grapes, the price per kilo of grapes was paid last year between 46 and 60 euro cents. It could not be paid less than 46 cents, but it could be paid more than 60. "It is the price set by the DO Cava, which is based on the cost study done by the Catalan Institute of Wine, Incavi, which usually publishes it in July, and which we do not agree with," says Vendrell. They do not agree because they consider that this cost study is not realistic, "parts need to be updated to make it realistic; besides, it would be good if it were published earlier so that the winegrower could make forecasts." Prices cannot be agreed upon because competition law, which prohibits setting them, prevails. Be that as it may, "paying less than 60 cents per kilo of harvested grapes is ruinous for the winegrower," says the president.

At the cava employers' association, president Joaquim Tosas confirms that “this year everything suggests it will be a normal harvest year, which means there will be grapes, which, added to last year's, will mean there will be a surplus”. He also agrees that the green landscape of Penedès “is at risk, because sales have decreased, because current geopolitics do not make it easy, and because, in the end, we need joint solutions from the administration, producers, and winegrowers for our hectares of vineyards in Penedès and for all of Catalonia”. Tosas reinforces the idea that the only solution is “to go forward together, instead of criticizing and dividing ourselves; we must build against our global competitors, like France, and we must sell more and better”. Of course, “we must ensure that all links in the chain are well compensated, and that everyone can make a good living”, says Tosas.

DO Cava has sold 24% fewer bottles, specifically, from 250 million in 2023 to 190 in 2025A dark future, with current figures

In two years, the DO Cava has sold 24% fewer bottles, specifically, from 250 million in 2023 to 190 in 2025, that is 60 million fewer in two years.

If these figures were to become a production benchmark, it would mean that the DO Cava would need 75 kilos less of grapes, therefore, 75 hectares of vineyard that it would not use. If there is surplus vineyard, grape prices will continue to fall, and this will mean that winegrowers will not earn a living from cultivation. From here, other scenarios could open up that no one currently wants to imagine in Penedès.