Vintner making wine in Catalonia since 1870 may have to move to higher altitudes

a year ago

A leading European winemaker, Familia Torres, warns it may have to abandon its ancestral lands in Catalonia in 30 years due to climate change making the area too dry and hot.
The company is adapting by installing irrigation, planting vines at higher altitudes, and investing 11% of its profits annually to combat climate change.
Miguel Torres, the 83-year-old president, expresses uncertainty about the future of winemaking in Catalonia, citing rising temperatures and changing conditions.
Familia Torres is expanding to cooler, higher-altitude regions like the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees and the Aragonese Pyrenees, where it's still too cold to grow vines.
The average temperature in the Penedès region has risen by 1°C over the past 40 years, causing harvests to occur 10 days earlier than decades ago.
European vineyards faced a difficult few years, with production down by up to 50% in some regions in 2023 due to extreme heat and drought.
Irrigation costs and additional duties, such as UK import tariffs and packaging taxes, are eating into profits, particularly affecting exports to the UK.
Familia Torres is considering bottling cheaper wines in the UK to reduce costs, as bulk importing in tankers is less expensive.
The winemaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining its brand presence in the UK, despite declining profits from exports.

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