How’s the grape harvest and wine travel? (Celler Devinssi, DOQ Priorat)

22 Sep How’s the grape harvest and wine travel? (Celler Devinssi, DOQ Priorat)

@frocatax

Definitely, 2020, baptised by Hurricane Gloria, will forever be etched in our memory.

The disastrous effect of the Covid-19 has been noticed here in  Priorat. Three months with no tourists, with no people in the street. Of course, with a minimum risk of virus rebound… Learn more…

We’re lucky to have been able to take care of the vineyards: whole spring spent alone with nature, with an uncertain future, toon…

This year, the vineyards have needed a lot of human presence… The endless spring rains have caused the plague called mildew to spread throughout the vineyards: a fungus that dries the grapes… Learn more… 

We have had some losses of Carignan (Samsó) and Red Grenache, but if we zoom out to the DOQ Priorat level we have no right to complain. The careful dedication during the most complicated season in terms of weather and epidemiology and a some luck have made this 2020 grape harvest possible: Grenache and Carignan in very good condition, healthy and juicy Cabernet Sauvignon… Meanwhile, after a dry and sunny august, the harvest has been somewhat early and very dynamic.

Given the whole viticulture and public health outlook, this year we haven’t held grape harvest master classes. However, hundreds of visitors have been able to witness the moments of the grape harvest, avoifing touching anything because the covid-19 has conditioned our behaviour.

We assume  everyone wants to flip the page and leave behind this nightmare … To celebrate life again like before… With a 2020 IL·LIA or Mas de les Valls remembering only the best moments of this year.

Definitely, it has been a season of a real “family re-union”: a summer full of visitors from other Catalan regions… We have noticed the strong presence of Girona tourists who had been scarce guests in our house for many years.

We’re raising a toast for life, for the effort of the people working in Health Care, and for everything getting back to normalcy!

Salut i vi!

Josep Roca and the Celler Devinssi crew