The Torres family in Catalonia in northern Spain are some of the wine world’s foremost environmentalists. One project is to increase the use of reclaimed water (=water that has been purified after previously being used for other purposes, e.g. cleaning) and increase the capacity to collect rainwater to optimise water resources and reduce dependencies on municipal water.
This regenerated water is mainly used for irrigation, cleaning, and cooling. The project is essential because Torres estimates they need to increase irrigation in their vineyards to preserve quality and ensure the vines survive in the increasingly dry climate.
Almost a third of their own vineyards, around 300 hectares, already have drip irrigation systems, and there are plans to expand this to 600 hectares within the next three years.
Torres also collects almost all rainwater on the roofs of its facilities in the Pacs del Penedès. It has around 45 dams on its properties in Catalonia, with a total water storage capacity of 122,000 m3.
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