The grape harvest for bodegas belonging to the Binissalem DO designation of origin regulatory council ended on 5 October. There was 3.2% more grape production than last year, and this would have been higher still had it not been because of regular rain in August and September. A total of 1,611,003 kilos of grape was harvested. Three-quarters of these were red grapes. Just over 50% of the production was for native varieties.
The manager of the DO, Marga Amat, observes that it was a very productive harvest despite the at times inclement weather. There had been two previous harvests characterised by very dry conditions. This year there was optimism regarding greater production.
The rain meant that growers had to keep a close lookout for any fungus and to undertake a careful selection of grapes. Amat explains that some of the harvest had to be thrown away because of rotten grapes. If this hadn't been the case, there would have been a record harvest. However, the effect of the weather wasn't uniform. Some vines were in perfect condition; others less so.
Work now starts of course on maximising the potential of the harvest and on obtaining wines of the highest quality. The native grape varieties are those which distinguish the Binissalem DO. These include Mantonegro, Moll, Giró and Gorgollassa.
The weather aside, the harvest has proved to be bountiful despite worries about the seeding process. This has to now be done in Biniagual and not on the mainland because of the ban on exports of plant material since the xylella bacterium was discovered in Majorca.
There are thirteen bodegas in the DO, five of them in Binissalem.