Wine production in Alentejo, whose harvest season has already started, should increase between 5% and 10% this year, to a total of 120 million liters, estimated today the Alentejo Regional Winegrowing Commission (CVRA). CVRA revealed that the harvest has already started in the region and that, according to a forecast by the University of Porto, wine production this year should “reach 120 million liters”.

According to the president of CVRA, Francisco Mateus, this rise is due to “good weather conditions recorded” and “pest control”. These two factors mean “that the grapes that will reach the cellars will be healthy and, therefore, they are more likely to result in excellent quality wines”, he explained.

The forecast by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto on the estimate of wine production in Alentejo, in partnership with CVRA, is a usual procedure every year. “This is already the 22nd forecast” and “it comes at a time when the harvest has just started”, said the wine committee.

In Alentejo, every year, the grape harvest begins “from the south to the north of the territory” and has an estimated duration of “10 to 11 weeks”. “The white varieties, which are most used in sparkling wines, are the first to be collected”, indicated the CVRA. Last year, the Alentejo wine region produced 113 million liters of wine, which corresponded to an increase of 15% compared to the previous year.