Spanish wine regions issue harvest guidelines and land‑use manifesto

The Council of the Protected Designation of Origin Condado de Huelva released a set of best‑practice recommendations for viticulturists aimed at ensuring a high‑quality harvest. The guidance stresses pre‑planning, parcel‑by‑parcel monitoring, harvest timing during cooler hours, strict sanitation of grapes, careful handling and transport, and sustainable soil and biodiversity practices. Council president Vicente Pérez García de Prado emphasized that a poor harvest can undermine a year’s work.

Separately, the Ribera del Duero Council presented a "Manifesto for a protected viticultural territory" calling on the Castile‑and‑León regional government to tighten land‑use rules. The document opposes intensive livestock facilities and biogas plants within the denomination’s protected area, urging the reinstatement of ordinary environmental licensing, minimum distance buffers, and coordinated consultation mechanisms. The council argues that current regulations, introduced after the pandemic, allow high‑impact installations without adequate technical assessment, threatening the region’s wine heritage and economic contribution.