Austria and Romania have been hit hard by the recent rains brought by Storm Boris, with floods claiming lives in both countries. However, the wine industry has largely “dodged a bullet,” as Georg Schullian of Austrian Wine Marketing put it.
While some of Austria's key wine regions, such as Lower Austria, Vienna, and the Kamp and Traisen river valleys, have been affected, the damage to vineyards has been limited. The vineyards themselves were not directly impacted by the floods, but some cellars have been flooded. According to Schullian, the full extent of the damage is still unclear.
Reports from various regions indicate that the soil is so waterlogged that hardly any winemakers can access their vineyards. This presents both a blessing and a challenge, as many winemakers are also volunteer firefighters and are needed elsewhere. In some areas, the effects have been devastating, with terraces collapsing and entire rows of vines tilting due to the softened ground and strong winds.
Fortunately, the summer provided loose, healthy grapes, so disease and fungal infestations are not expected to be a major issue. However, everything Schullian says comes with a caveat. It is still too early for a thorough assessment, and much depends on how things develop in the coming days. The forecast is hopeful, with mild weather expected, but “it’s still too soon to get a clear picture.”
Regional differences
In Romania, the impact has been largely manageable. Thanks to the warm summer, sugar levels in the grapes were so high that much of the harvest had already been completed by the time the rains began. Moreover, the country's main wine-producing regions were not as severely affected as some of the western areas, where there are fewer vineyards. According to Marinela Ardelean, founder of Wines of Romania, the damage appears to be minimal.
However, the conclusion is different for Eastern Europe’s largest producer, Cramele Recaș in Romania. They recently invested in a production facility in the Vrancea region, which was particularly hard-hit by the heavy rains, putting a significant portion of the harvest at risk. Philip Cox, CEO of Cramele Recaș, says it’s still too early to estimate the damage, as it will depend on how the weather develops over the coming days and how much of the harvest can still be saved.
The floodwaters are expected to reach Hungary via the Danube, with the peak in Budapest predicted for the second half of the week. MS
