It is said that good things come to those who know how to wait and, this year, time has been our best ally.

With the same enthusiasm as the first times. This is how we began the 2024 harvest, the Recovery Harvest, in our historic estate. It was August 20^th, and a total of 19 people were ready to harvest the first Macabeos of the Barbera Alta. From team members to seasonal workers, some of whom have been harvesting in our house for more than twenty years. Miguel and María are among the oldest, but they don’t give up their Cordovan accent whenever they have to answer: “Chiquilla, asércame lá tijerá!

Xarel-los harvest at the estate

The mild weather, despite being in mid-August, helped positively in this start of the harvest, which was full of unknowns. Despite the good spring rains (303 L/m2), the extreme drought of the last three years has caused the plants to arrive tired. In addition, the rainfall has brought other dangers, such as the threat of mildew, powdery mildew and the green mosquito, which for the first time has appeared on the estate and caused the leaves of the vines to dry out.

While we continued harvesting in the vineyards, trailers continued to arrive at the winery from winegrowers from Conca del Riu Anoia with whom we collaborate to produce our Blanc de Blancs and De Nit. Up to nineteen farmers who, with their effort and dedication, helped us to demonstrate the potential of our territory to produce sparkling wines of the highest prestige.

“Of all our work, the most beautiful thing is to pay a fair price for each kilo of grapes so that it returns to the territory”, Pepe Raventós.

A perfect gear, the whole team united for a new vintage

Under the watchful eye of Joan Munné (our technical director), all the pieces of the gear move perfectly. Jordi is always ready at harvest reception for the arrival of new trailers, weighing and controls of probable alcohol content, acidity and health; while Josep (who has once again joined us this year during this critical time), is in charge of the maintenance and tuning of the presses: “The team and the working methods are aspects that motivate me to repeat the harvest for years”.

1. Joan Munné tasting musts   2. Josep Tarrida checking the presses  3.Elena Loredana in charge of the vinification processs  4. Part of the harvesting team

The days are hectic during the five weeks of the 2024 harvest. Lore oversees vinification and is responsible for racking, fermentations and laboratory analysis control, among other tasks; while Valentí, Jesús and Berta help with must cooling, ripening controls and cleaning and tidying up the winery.

Each person’s job is key, aware that any mistake can ruin the work of the whole team rowing in the same direction.

We continue with the rest of the local varieties, the Sumoll becomes the main variety

While the last Macabeos have just entered the winery, in the vineyard we started to harvest the Xarel-los and Sumolls, on August 26^th and 29^th  respectively.

A couple of summer rains and a mild climate have led us to harvest them without haste, allowing them to reach good balance and acidity, especially the Sumoll, which has proved to be the queen variety of this vintage.

With nature challenging us to find the best time to harvest, we gathered the whole team on August 30^th to participate in the harvest of the old Xarel-los of Clos del Serral.

1. Martí Pujol harvesting at Clos del Serra 2. Pepe Raventós harvesting at Clos del Serral  3. Harvesting with horses  4. Jordi Gonzalez harvesting an old xarel-lo

A festive day that brought together all of us and a dozen members of Club 1497 in these 1.9 ha of vineyards with vines over 80 years old. A very special meeting that allowed us to hold in their hands the Xarel-lo with which we make Mas del Serral (from Vins Pepe Raventós).

Nothing foresaw that five days later we would receive 22L/m2 of rain on the estate. This rainfall was used by the Parellada grapes to gain weight and finish ripening well before harvesting on September 16^th.

With all the grapes harvested, it is time for fermentation before coupages and subsequent aging for a minimum of 18 months. From this 2024 vintage, we expect balanced sparkling wines that reflect the challenges and difficulties of this season.

Looking ahead to Vintage 2025, hoping for new rains

The more than 400L/m2 of this wine cycle that has just ended has been a respite for our vines, which had been dragging a long drought.

With them, life has returned to the estate and green has been the predominant color in the vineyard. This is undoubtedly the best news we could have had, and it has allowed us to see old vines that we considered lost just a few months ago come back to life.

Now, we hope that this autumn will bring new rains, allowing the plants to thrive throughout until the frosts sets in mid-November.