Prominent European winemakers have expressed concern that climate change may render traditional growing regions too dry and hot, potentially forcing them to abandon ancestral lands in Catalonia within three decades.
The Familia Torres winery has already taken steps to adapt, installing irrigation systems in their vineyards located in Spain and California. They’ve also started planting grapes at higher altitudes to tackle extreme climate conditions.
“Irrigation is the future. We are not reliant on the weather,” noted Miguel Torres, the 83-year-old president. “I can’t predict how long we can remain here—perhaps 20 or 30 years. Climate change is transforming everything.”
This family-owned business has been producing wine in Catalonia since 1870. Torres emphasized the importance of tourism in the region, close to Barcelona, stating that while it may be a tourist area, it is primarily a place for viticulture. He added, “I don’t think I’ll be able to stay here much longer.”
Torres indicates that the winery allocates 11% of its profits annually to adapt to and combat climate change, admitting that they might need to move to cooler, wetter areas in the west.
Familia Torres manages over 1,000 hectares of vineyards in Catalonia, mainly in the Penedes region, with additional sites in other parts of Spain, Chile, and California.
Currently, they’re expanding into higher altitudes in the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees, producing grapes at 950 meters in Tremp and obtaining land from the Aragon Pyrenees that reaches 1,100 meters. They employ various techniques to minimize water usage during growth and treatment.
Over the past four decades, the area has experienced an average temperature increase of 1°C, which has resulted in earlier harvests—about ten days sooner than decades ago. However, the company uses various methods to slow the aging of grapes and preserve quality for winemaking.
Torres shared his observations from a challenging few years for European vineyards. He reported a 50% drop in production, noting that 2023 was the “worst year I’ve ever seen,” with figures below the historical average due to severe heat and drought.
This year has improved somewhat, attributed to increased irrigation during winter and spring rains. Nonetheless, Torres expressed concerns about potential mold threats due to damp conditions.
“If we wish to continue harvesting in the future, we need to address warming,” he remarked. “Warming is jeopardizing our trade.”
The added expenses from irrigation have raised challenges in competitive markets, compounded by stricter UK wine regulations and threats from the US, as well as high new packaging taxes on glass bottles.
Torres mentioned that exports to the UK have decreased by up to 10%, with profits further reduced due to the absorption of rising costs.
“We currently don’t profit from UK exports. That’s the harsh reality. Many British vacationers recognize our brand when they visit Spain. We must keep the brand alive in the UK,” he stated.
He hinted that Torres might start bottling some of the more affordable wines specifically for the UK market to help reduce expenses.
“We’d likely import that way to the UK by next year,” Torres said. “British consumers are paying more for wine, but there aren’t many alternatives for importing. There’s very limited local production in the UK.”
