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By Oliver Catchpole
Published: 02 September, 2026
Professionals from the wine and gastronomy sectors in the Sierra de Gredos have launched the Gredos Vivo Platform, which calls for viticulture to be recognised as a tool for protecting the land and preventing wildfires.
The central Spanish region is particularly vulnerable to such fires, with risks exacerbated in recent decades due to rural depopulation and the loss of agricultural land – leading to increasingly large areas of natural fuel. Nearly 20 wineries were affected by late July’s wildfires here.
Working under the principle “a cultivated Gredos is a living Gredos” the initiative will push to establish mountain viticulture as a tool for preserving the landscape, curbing soil erosion and acting as a natural barrier to wildfires.
Work on defining the platform’s organisation and areas of action continues apace, with the aim of creating “an agile and effective structure capable of becoming a source of support for the region and for all those involved in its conservation”.
It is backed by professionals including Gredos Vivo Platform co-presidents Dani Landi and Fernando García from Comando G winery; vice president Telmo Rodríguez from Viñas Viejas de Pegaso; Carlos Casillas, chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Barro; Juanan Martín from Rico Nuevo winery; and Luis Gutiérrez – Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s Spanish wine reviewer, among others.
Landi explained that the scheme’s first actions will focus on supporting the wineries that were recently affected by wildfires “so that no one is left behind”.
He added that they “firmly believe in the value of vineyards as a cornerstone of Gredos’ mosaic landscape, rural regeneration and wildfire prevention”.
“We will also promote initiatives to support the sector and encourage vineyard cultivation that respects the environment and is integrated into ecosystem planning,” he said.
Harpers’ August issue included a Q&A with Adrianna Catena & Gearóid Lane, co-owners at Gredos-based El Reventón, who Harpers spoke to just before one of their five vineyards was hit by recent wildfires in the in the Avila area, which were described by the Spanish government as the largest in modern Spanish history.
Lane said that their “beautiful and historical San Gregorio vineyard…was badly hit” but added that it had made them “more determined than ever to drive forward on our mission to produce fine Garnacha wines in Gredos, and to do all we can to support the local community”.
The producer is confident that 80-90% of the vines can be nursed back to health.
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