This 2020 harvest will be remembered as one of the most challenging for Concha y Toro’s agricultural and oenological teams. This is stated in its most recent Harvest Report, in which the company reviews the most relevant characteristics of the 2019-2020 wine season, in addition to the arrival of COVID-19 in Chile during the harvest.

The high temperatures and lack of rainfall led our technical teams to make the decision to bring forward the start of the harvest by two weeks on average. As such, the 2020 vintage is expected to predominantly result in fresher wines.

Yield projections made during veraison were met in the majority of vineyards. This is an outstanding result that has been achieved thanks to the timely decision to start the harvest early, as the high temperatures in March 2020 could have further reduced grape yields, according to Concha y Toro’s Agricultural Manager, Max Larraín. “We can say with a great deal of confidence that the principal and extraordinary characteristic of this 2020 harvest is that it finished earlier than in previous years, with high-quality grapes and the expected volumes”, he said.

This year’s Report makes a review through the voice of the Agricultural Assistant Managers and Winemakers about the results of the grapes and a projection of the wines from the vintage 2020. Marcelo Papa, Technical Director of Concha y Toro, highlights the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir del Valle del Limarí, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon del Maipo and Syrah and Malbec del Maule. He also adds the importance of coordinated and efficient work among the teams to finish the harvest one month in advance: “We have completed a complex harvest with good results thanks to the great determination and attitude of our teams, taking all precautions and ensuring the health of employees. I’m sure that we will learn a lot of lessons from this, from both a technical and human perspective.”