Summer heat drives record-early night harvest at Catalan winery

By Horaci Garcia

EL BEDORC, Spain, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Wearing headlamps and equipped with secateurs, workers at a winery northwest of Barcelona light up the vineyards before dawn and start picking grapes at 3 a.m., as the Catalonia region marks its earliest grape harvest on record due to the scorching summer heat.

At Gramona, a winery in the Anoia area, labourers have begun the harvest several weeks ahead of the traditional August dates.

Following back-to-back heatwaves and temperatures well above the average in Europe, businesses and institutions across the continent are trying to adapt to climate change.

The heat was very stressful for several people, even causing medical issues for some of them, said Roc Gramona, the winery's technical director.

"We had to take a decision because these 35 or 45 degrees Celsius (95 - 113 degrees Fahrenheit) were too strong for them," he said. The heat was also stressful for the plants and caused grapes to ripen much faster, Gramona added.

"I think we won't go back to the daylight harvest and we will keep on picking at night."    

According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, average temperatures in Barcelona during July were 5.8 C above the historic norm from 1961-1990.

Starting before dawn allows crews to work in cooler temperatures and helps ensure the grapes arrive at the winery in optimal condition, said David Altes, one of the labourers.

Gramona began this year's harvest on July 22, marking the earliest harvest ever recorded in Catalonia. The varieties currently being harvested are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both used in the production of sparkling wines.    

(Reporting by Horaci Garcia; Writing by Javi West Larrañaga; Editing by Lincoln Feast)