The 2026 wine harvest begins to be evaluated in the laboratory in RS

With the prospect of one of the most promising grape harvests in recent years in Rio Grande do Sul, the Evanir da Silva Enological Reference Laboratory (Laren) has begun the first technical evaluations of the 2026 vintage. Linked to the Agriculture Secretariat (Seapi), the laboratory receives samples intended for microvinification, a procedure that results in the production of small batches of wine and allows the analysis of qualitative variables during the formation of the harvest. In January 2026, about 30 samples were sent to the Laren winery in Caxias do Sul for the start of the analyses. The collections follow the laboratory's Sampling Plan. For this year, 252 samples are planned, collected in different producing regions of the State throughout the production period, between January and March. The state agricultural inspector and agricultural engineer Fernanda Varela Nascimento explains that the process involves the manual removal of berries from the bunch, the crushing of ...