The Regulatory Council of Huelva County has officially started the 2026 harvest campaign with the collection of muscat of small grain in Villalba del Alcor. Initial analyses reflect an excellent health status and very favourable parameters for the production of quality wines.
The 2026 harvest campaign in Huelva County has officially begun with the collection of the muscat of small grain variety, one of the earliest in the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) Huelva County. The first work has taken place at the facilities of Bodegas Marqués de Villalúa, in the municipality of Villalba del Alcor, where the collection traditionally begins due to the shorter maturation cycle of this grape.
Analyses conducted by the technical services of the Regulatory Council on the harvested grapes show parameters that they qualify as "very favourable" for the production of quality wines. Specifically, a Baumé degree of 11.6, a total acidity of 5.6 grams per litre expressed in tartaric acid, and a pH of 3.04 have been recorded. According to the entity, these values demonstrate "an excellent balance between maturity, freshness, and aromatic potential."
The health status of the grapes is "magnificent," according to the Regulatory Council, resulting from the monitoring carried out throughout the vegetative cycle and the commitment of the grape growers to the care of the vineyard. The bunches show homogeneous development and excellent plant health, which invites optimism regarding the quality of the vintage.
Once the harvest of the muscat of small grain is completed, activity will continue in the coming days with the collection of sauvignon blanc, another of the early-maturing white varieties present in the DOP and also cultivated in Villalba del Alcor. Meanwhile, the zalema, an indigenous variety that represents more than 85% of the vineyard registered in the Designation of Origin, continues to complete its natural maturation process.
Controls carried out by the technical services of the Regulatory Council also confirm an "excellent health status" and a "very balanced" evolution in the zalema, which will allow for determining the optimal moment for its collection in the coming weeks. The president of the Regulatory Council, Vicente Pérez García de Prado, has stated that "each start of the harvest brings enormous satisfaction to the entire sector." "It is the moment when we begin to reap the fruits of the work of hundreds of grape growers who have been caring for their vines with dedication and professionalism for months," he added.
Pérez García de Prado highlighted that "starting the campaign with grapes in such good health is undoubtedly the best news." "After complex campaigns, seeing that the vineyard presents this aspect fills us with confidence and allows us to look at the harvest with optimism," he affirmed.
In the coming weeks, the Regulatory Council will continue to monitor the maturation of the various authorised varieties to determine, alongside grape growers and wineries, the optimal moment for collection. The goal is for the 2026 harvest to "once again translate into wines and vinegars that reflect the quality, personality, and authenticity that distinguish Huelva County."
The harvest campaign in Huelva County is a key moment for the region's economy, where the wine sector generates hundreds of direct and indirect jobs. The quality of the grapes and the favourable climatic conditions this year invite thoughts of a harvest that maintains the prestige of Huelva County wines, both nationally and internationally.
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