Juvé & Camps begins its earliest-ever harvest and its first-ever night harvest

Winter rains, the recovery of water reserves and the excellent health of the grapes point to a vintage of great potential, with freshness and vibrant natural acidity

Juvé & Camps today began its 2026 harvest at its Espiells estate, marking the earliest harvest in the winery’s history and the first ever to be carried out at night. For the first time, this century-old winery has started harvesting grapes in July as a result of this year’s climatic conditions. The high temperatures recorded in recent weeks have accelerated ripening in the earliest plots, bringing forward their optimum harvest date. To avoid the hottest hours of the day, harvesting now begins during the night instead of early in the morning, as in previous years.

The season is shaping up very favourably. Rainfall recorded since the winter, totalling 630 l/m², has replenished soil water reserves after several years of drought and supported balanced vine growth.

Pre-harvest assessments show healthy, uniform grapes with gradual ripening and excellent retention of natural acidity. Juvé & Camps expects to harvest around 1 million kilograms of grapes from its own vineyards, with an estimated average yield of 5,500 kg/ha, although the final figures will depend on weather conditions over the coming weeks.

“Winter rains have restored balance to the soils and allowed the vines to reach ripeness with much greater water availability than in recent years. The grapes are healthy and uniform; now the challenge is to read each plot and harvest it at precisely the right moment, without letting the season’s overall earliness dictate our decisions,” says Pep Jiménez, Viticulture Director at Juvé & Camps.

A manual, precise and, for the first time, night-time harvest

The harvest, carried out entirely by hand, will involve around one hundred people working alongside the Juvé & Camps viticulture team over the coming weeks. Grapes are picked bunch by bunch, allowing an initial selection to take place directly in the vineyard and preserving the fruit’s integrity until it reaches the winery.

For the first time in its history, Juvé & Camps will carry out part of the harvest during the night. Until now, harvesting always began early in the morning, but the season’s earliness and the high temperatures have prompted the winery to move the start of operations to the cooler night-time hours.

This decision makes it possible to harvest the grapes at a lower temperature and keep them cool during transport to the winery, reducing the risk of oxidation and helping preserve their aromatic potential, freshness and natural acidity. It also protects harvest teams from the hottest part of the day, providing safer and more comfortable working conditions.

The harvest begins with the pinot noir and chardonnay plots, intended primarily for the production of base wines for long-aged sparkling wines.

As ripening progresses, the macabeo, xarel·lo and parellada plots will follow, together with the varieties destined for still wines.

Each plot is monitored and harvested separately according to its variety, orientation, altitude, soil composition and stage of ripeness. Thanks to the proximity of the vineyards to the winery, the time between harvesting and pressing is kept to an absolute minimum. Upon arrival, the grapes undergo both analytical testing and visual inspection before vinification begins.

“The first samples show a highly promising combination of freshness, ripeness and natural acidity. We expect precise base wines with tension, aromatic expression and the structure required for the long ageing that defines the Juvé & Camps style. Everything points to a balanced and distinctive vintage, with the ideal conditions to produce brut nature sparkling wines of remarkable depth,” says Laura Tragant, Technical Director at Juvé & Camps.

The harvest: the result of a full year in the vineyard

Juvé & Camps farms 252 hectares of estate-owned vineyards across Espiells, La Cuscona and the high altitude vineyards of Mediona. Rather than viewing this land as a single, uniform expanse, the winery sees it as a mosaic of individual plots, each with its own distinctive character and expressive potential.

A detailed understanding of each plot’s soils, grape varieties, orientation and altitude allows viticultural and winemaking decisions to be tailored to its specific characteristics. At Espiells, for example, a soil study based on 76 test pits and 260 soil borings has made it possible to map the soils in detail and guide the management of each plot and the intended use of its grapes.

The vineyards have been certified organic since 2015 and are farmed according to regenerative viticulture principles. Throughout the year, the team maintains cover crops, incorporates organic matter into the soil, carries out gentle pruning and green pruning, applies low-impact soil management techniques, and manages water according to the specific needs of each plot.

As part of its climate adaptation strategy, the winery has planted a new plot of xarel·lo vermell using the Keyline design system, which follows the land’s natural contours to improve water infiltration and distribution, reduce erosion, and increase vineyard resilience. The recovery of this traditional Penedès variety also reflects the winery’s commitment to exploring plant material better adapted to changing climatic conditions.

This work is complemented by the protection of woodland, streams, field margins and native vegetation, which promote biodiversity and provide habitats for beneficial fauna. The estate’s 252 hectares of vineyards coexist with approximately 230 hectares of woodland and natural areas, within a total estate of 482 hectares.

A commitment to people and the land

The 2026 harvest is also Juvé & Camps’ first since joining Corpinnat. The collective brand’s production model requires organically grown grapes and certified organic winemaking, manual harvesting, vinification carried out entirely on the estate, extended ageing, external audits, and a guaranteed minimum price for partner growers. This philosophy aligns naturally with Juvé & Camps’ longstanding reputation as a benchmark producer of brut nature sparkling wines with long and exceptionally long ageing.

Alongside its own vineyards, Juvé & Camps works with a carefully selected network of winegrowers across the Penedès, building long-term relationships based on quality and the continuity of local viticulture. For the 2026 harvest, the winery guarantees a minimum purchase price of €0.96/kg for all grapes sourced from partner growers.

“This harvest reflects a way of working that begins long before the grapes are picked: caring for the soil, tending each plot with precision, and always thinking for the long term. We want every vintage to remain true to the Penedès and for the value it creates to flow back to the people who keep this landscape alive,” says Meritxell Juvé, CEO and a fourth-generation member of the family.

With this historically early harvest, Juvé & Camps begins a new vintage while remaining true to the philosophy that has guided the winery for generations: to understand the land, harvest every grape at its optimum moment, and recognise that the quality of a great wine always begins in the vineyard