The harvest of the early-ripening varieties Solaris and Ortega began on Monday, August 19, in the Palatinate region, according to the German Wine Institute (DWI). These grapes are used for the partially fermented wine known as Federweisser.
According to further information from the German Wine Institute (DWI) and the regional winegrowers' associations, Rheinhessen and Baden have now also started harvesting early-ripening grape varieties. In the Ahr region, the harvest of Frühburgunder (Pinot Noir Précoce) has also begun. In the Rheingau, the harvest is expected to start on September 2nd. In the Palatinate (Pfalz) and Rheinhessen, the first grapes for sparkling wine base wines made from Burgundy varieties will also be harvested at that time.
The weather remains dry, sunny but not too hot, and, most importantly, cool enough at night to preserve the acidity," said Ernst Büscher, spokesperson for the German Wine Institute (DWI). However, Andreas Köhr from the Farmers' and Winegrowers' Association of Rhineland-Palatinate South warns that the harvest period might shorten, as many grape varieties are ripening simultaneously. "But this has been an issue for a few years now, and our operations have adapted well to it.", Köhr said.
2024 has been particularly labor-intensive for winemakers, as the rainy first half of the year placed high demands on plant protection and required intensive canopy management. Despite these challenges, most vineyards are in good condition, which raises hopes for a good harvest. However, in regions affected by late frost, particularly in Saxony and Saale-Unstrut, significant crop losses are expected. MS
This text has been updated on August 28th.
