Asaja Castilla-La Mancha has held the meeting of its Vineyard Sector to examine in detail how the sector is facing the upcoming 2026/2027 wine campaign, a harvest conditioned by strong uncertainty linked to the evolution of the climate and the delicate situation currently experienced by the wine market.
In the meeting, the organization insisted on the advisability of acting with maximum caution when making harvest forecasts, since the high temperatures recorded since spring have advanced the ripening of the grape and what happens meteorologically in the coming weeks will be key to determining the definitive productive potential.
Even so, a decrease in the weight of the grape has already been detected in the first harvested plots, a factor that could translate into a reduction in the final production of the campaign.
The agricultural organization has also emphasized the complicated situation of the wine market, marked by a continued decline in wine consumption, both in Spain and in the main international destinations, the drop in exports, the increase in production costs, the loss of profitability of the farms, and the uncertainty surrounding the marketing of the grape in certain producing areas.
In light of this scenario, Asaja considers it essential for the sector to adjust its production to the evolution of demand and new consumption habits, betting on a model focused on quality, yield control, traceability, and greater market orientation, in order to strengthen competitiveness and ensure the economic viability of the grape growers.
During the sector meeting, the main regulatory novelties that will influence the upcoming campaign were also addressed, including the measures included in the Sectoral Wine Intervention, such as vineyard restructuring actions, investment lines, and promotional actions in third countries, among others.
In this context, Asaja has expressed its support for continuing to promote vineyard restructuring as a priority tool to sustain the profitability of the farms.
Regarding a possible vineyard start-up program, the organization defends that this option should be strictly voluntary, selective, controlled, and definitive for those who choose to take advantage of it, with the aim of contributing to the balance between supply and demand without compromising the productive potential of the sector.
Likewise, Asaja considers it essential that this program, which should be designed with a fully strategic approach, has extraordinary funding that is external to the Wine Sector Intervention, so that resources are not taken away from the winegrowers who decide to maintain their activity and strengthen the competitiveness of their farms.
For Asaja Castilla-La Mancha, the future of the sector depends on combining exceptional measures that help correct the structural imbalance between supply and demand with policies that encourage consumption, the opening of new markets, and production focused on quality and consumer preferences, thus ensuring the profitability of wine farms.