Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year is being a little more than atypical. Still, the harvest doesn’t change, and hopefully never will. This year, mushrooms and pests have been the protagonists in the vineyard, making the 2020 harvest a little more complicated or adverse than previous ones. It is important to note a notable decrease in production due to pests such as mildew, which has come about due to meteorological factors (high rainfall, humidity).

In the Penedès region, a study carried out by the Farmers’ Union (Unió de Pagesos) has indicated a drop in production of up to 50% due to mildew, and more specifically affecting the plots of DO Cava. In adjacent territories such as the Priorat or Terra Alta, the decrease in production has been less, between 30% and 35%.

But it is not only nature that has put us at a disadvantage. Unpleasantly for all of us, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health Ministry has been forced (and rightly so) to establish specific regulations for wineries when facing the 2020 harvest, which is about to end. Some of the most basic rules that the Health Department advises, and that we at Ferré i Catasús guarantee, are:

• Crews that will NOT be related to each other (divided by plots)
• Provide protection and hygiene measures (mask, gloves, hydro alcoholic gel and temperature measurement)
• Minimum safety distance between crew members (1.5 meters minimum)

All these measures are carried out with the aim of reducing the possibility of contagion to a minimum, to be able to apply a follow-up in an organized manner and to guarantee the maximum hygiene and quality of our products in these times.

The harvest in Ferré i Catasús started on August 17th with the harvest of the Chardonnay variety, which matures earlier. Afterwards, the remaining white wines: Xarel-lo, Macabeu, Chenin, White Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc.

In relation to the reds, we started with Merlot and continued with Syrah, Ull de Llebre and Red Grenache. Finally, the only remaining variety to be harvested in the next few days is Cabernet Sauvignon, which will be the last variety we will harvest this 2020 vintage.

This year, even if we obtain a much lower production than in other years, the quality of the grapes has not decreased, on the contrary, it has increased. The control and tireless monitoring of the vineyard has allowed us, even the disadvantages, to ensure a harvest of maximum quality, with very good ripening, thus highlighting the great potential of the wines of Ferré i Catasús and especially, of the Penedès.