Despite the dry summer, “good yields and great qualities”

The harvest in Germany turned out better than expected due to a very dry summer. Harvest volume is expected to be around nine million hectoliters, thus two percent more than the average of the last decade, the German Wine Institute (DWI) in Bodenheim said on Tuesday. So the quality was very good, especially for red wines.

September’s rains had a positive effect, according to DWI: “They’ve re-plumped ripe grapes after an extremely dry summer.” The result is “good yields and great qualities”. In fact, the harvest volume increased by six percent compared to the previous year.

Late ripening grape varieties suffered a little

However, September rains also had a negative impact on late-ripening grape varieties like Riesling: DIW explained that the sugar content in the grapes “remains moderate despite the very sunny summer.” Still, the wines are “highly aromatic and with harmonious fruit acid levels”. The quality of other white wines, especially Burgundy and Silvaner, is also quite good.

Winemakers and consumers may be particularly pleased with the quality of this year’s red wines, according to DIW. “Red grapes took advantage of the sunniest summer since weather records began,” the institute said.

The increase in harvest volume was particularly strong in the Saale-Unstrut region with 23 percent. The DIW also expects returns in Ahr and Baden to be 13 percent above the ten-year average. Mosel winemakers, on the other hand, had to make significant cuts due to weather conditions, where the harvest was seven percent less.

(AFP)