Lehdistötiedote 6.12.2019
Germany’s 2019 vintage will be remembered for its very high quality. ”The young 2019 white wines are already showing intense aromas and good balance, with an attractive and refreshing acidity. The reds are currently resting in the cellars, but all indications suggest rich colors, a velvety mouthfeel and tremendous potential ahead,” the Deutsches Weininstitut (DWI) is reporting.
As in the year prior, 2019 was marked by high temperatures and a widespread lack of rain that ranged into drought conditions in some winegrowing regions. Producers in almost all parts of Germany reported issues with sunburned grapes in July, leading to a loss of fruit. Otherwise there were few problems with vine disease or pests, allowing winegrowers to bring in very healthy and ripe grapes almost everywhere. Many producers were even able to seize the chance to harvest Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese fruit.
Some winegrowers are still hoping to produce a successful Eiswein harvest, with 42 hectares ready and awaiting the right weather conditions in Rheinland-Pfalz alone. Yet the risk associated with leaving berries for this nobly sweet specialty are constantly increasing, as climate change continues to reduce the chances that vineyards will reach the necessary temperatures of at least minus seven degrees Celsius.
2019 harvest volumes are estimated at 8.4 million hectoliters, four percent below the ten year average, although that figure varies from region to region. The following reports detail how the 2019 vintage progressed within each of Germany’s 13 winegrowing regions.
Pressrelease Harvest Report by Wine Growing Regions 2019 (pdf)