Ribera del Duero’s 2026 grape harvest falls 4.2%

Ribera del Duero completed its 2026 harvest with 124.1 million kilograms of grapes destined for protected wines, down 4.2% from the 129,555,457 kilograms recorded in 2025, according to the designation’s regulatory council. Picking ran from 18 August to 20 October, making it the earliest harvest in the denomination’s history, the council said.¹

The decline amounted to about 5.5 million kilograms. Red varieties fell 4.3% year on year, while white varieties increased by 3%. The council attributed the lower yields to limited spring and summer rainfall and periods of high temperatures, particularly toward the end of ripening. Soil water reserves accumulated between late 2025 and early 2026 nevertheless helped sustain the vines during the final part of the season.¹

The growing cycle largely avoided spring frost and hail, but drought and late-season heat subjected vines to substantial water and thermal stress. Producers were able to stagger picking between plots according to vineyard ripeness. The council also reported smaller berries and strong phenolic ripeness, while cautioning that its expectations for the wines remain an early assessment to be confirmed during fermentation and ageing.¹

The figures cover only grapes picked for wines protected by the Ribera del Duero designation and do not establish the final volume of wine, sales, prices or inventory levels. The denomination encompasses more than 300 wineries in the Duero basin and is associated mainly with red wines produced primarily from Tempranillo.¹