The sector predicts an increase in grape production for the 2025/26 harvest in Rio Grande do Sul.

The next grape harvest in Rio Grande do Sul is expected with optimism by the wine sector, with high expectations for fruit health and good productivity for the 2025/26 harvest. According to the president of the Institute for Management, Planning and Development of Viticulture in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Consevitis-RS), Luciano Rebellato, an increase of around 50 million kilos in the harvest is expected compared to the previous year.

According to Rebellatto, although official data is not yet available, it is estimated that the 2024/25 harvest resulted in 750 million kilograms of grapes. In 2026, the estimate is that the numbers will be higher, with a projected harvest of around 800 million kilograms. "In terms of planning, I believe the sector will organize itself to produce a greater quantity of wines, especially lighter, white, and younger wines, which are showing themselves to be a trend among new consumers," he emphasizes.

The occurrence of a harsh winter is the main reason for the positive forecast, according to the head of Research and Development at Embrapa Grape and Wine, Henrique Pessoa dos Santos. “We had a very good winter, with the total cold within the climatic norm, which is around 390 hours of cold, when the temperature is below or equal to 7.2ºC. In total, this winter saw 395 hours of cold. Based on this, the vines respond with potential for bud break, with uniformity and fertile buds. From this bud break stage, we are now experiencing the flowering period of the cultivars,” he reports.

Therefore, this spring, the budding season, the vines are showing good fertility and plenty of bunches, explains the researcher. The forecast of low rainfall for the months of December and January is also a positive sign, because during this period the grapes do not need large amounts of water, but rather dry weather. According to Santos, what could harm fertility, reducing the number of berries per bunch, is the large temperature fluctuation between day and night, with the current dry climate conditions imposed by the La Niña phenomenon. 

Since there are still a few months until the start of the harvest, it is important to emphasize that the numbers may change. "Within the sector, however, there are no major concerns regarding factors that could negatively influence issues such as the price per kilo of grapes, for example, with the expectation that the harvest will be completely absorbed and transformed into products: our juices, wines, and sparkling wines," Rebellatto points out.