August marks the start of the 2026 harvest at the Viñedos de Aldeanueva Cooperative. Picking has officially begun in the parcels selected for Fincas de Azabache, the winery dedicated exclusively to crafting our high-end Premium wines. The first star of the campaign is the Tempranillo Blanco variety.

Night Harvesting to Protect the Fruit

After confirming that acidity and potential alcohol levels reached their optimal point, technicians authorized the picking of around 200,000 kilos from the earliest-ripening estates.

To protect aromatic quality against the summer heat, harvesting takes place during night and early morning hours (from 6:00 to 10:00 AM). This method prevents grapes from entering the winery warm, avoiding unwanted oxidation and premature fermentation.

A Cycle Marked by Early Growth

The 2026 agricultural year in Aldeanueva de Ebro has been defined by a sharp contrast:

• Winter and early spring: Cool and rainy, building up good soil water reserves.

• From May onward: Continuous high temperatures triggered a 15-day vegetative advance, which held steady through flowering, fruit set, and veraison.

A Staggered Harvest Schedule

Due to the diversity of parcels and altitudes, the campaign will last at least a month and a half:

• Early August: Tempranillo Blanco in lower-altitude areas.

• Late August: Harvesting of Viura and Verdejo white varieties.

• Mid-August: Start of the red grape harvest, beginning with Tempranillo.

• End of campaign: Higher-altitude estates with Garnacha and Graciano varieties.

At Fincas de Azabache, we approach this new vintage with the highest technical standards to transform vineyard quality into singular wines from Rioja Oriental