The unusually hot German summer was a hindrance to many farmers, but Germany's winemakers aren't complaining. Estimates show there'll be no shortage of German wine next year — cheers to that!
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Germany's winegrowers can expect an above-average harvest this year, the government statistics office Destatis predicted on Wednesday.
A 9.75-million-hectoliter (one hectolitre equals 100 liters) total harvest is expected this year — 1 million hectoliters higher than the five-year average between 2012 and 2017, and 2 million more than last year's unusually low yield.
The crop for Germany's most popular wine variety, Riesling, is expected to almost quadruple in size, going from 557,000 hectoliters last year to an expected 2.08 million.
The German Wine Institute (DWI) is optimistic not only about the extent of 2018's harvest, but also about the quality of the vintage.
"We will have very good yields and also very good quality," the DWI's Ernst Büscher said. "The condition of the grapes is abnormally good because of the very sunny and dry weather that's persisting."
Germany's wine regions
Wine grape harvest is in full swing in Germany. Take a trip into the world of Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Silvaner and co.
Image: Daniel Karmann/dpa/picture alliance
Autumn is grape harvest time
German wine differs from wines of other countries - it's light, lively and fruity, thanks to Germany's unique climatic and geological conditions. The diversity of German wine stems from the many soil types and grape varieties. This diversity is reflected in Germany's 13 wine-growing regions.
Image: Fredrik von Erichsen/dpa/picture alliance
Rheinhessen
The vineyards here are between Worms, Mainz and Bingen and cover an area of 26,000 hectares. This is Germany’s largest wine-growing region, in part dating back to the 9th century.
Image: Fredrik Von Erichsen/dpa/picture alliance
Rheingau
There are six different wine-growing regions along the Rhine, including the Rheingau. The monastery in Eberbach was founded by Cistercian monks from Burgundy. They brought the skills of wine-making to the monastery and its wines are exported the world over.
Image: Boris Roessler/dpa/picture alliance
Middle Rhine
The Middle Rhine region begins in Bingen. The river becomes narrower here and the region is famous for its steep vineyards beside the Rhine. The region with its castles and medieval towns became a UNESCO world heritage site in 2002.
Image: Frank Kleefeldt/dpa/picture alliance
Palatinate
This is a wine-growing region with superlatives that include the largest wine festival and the world’s largest wine barrel. Along the 85 kilometer long German wine trail you will find 130 wine-growing towns and villages. Every year the German wine queen is crowned in Neustadt.
Image: Lando Hass/dpa/picture alliance
Franconia
The famous round wine bottles are the trademark of wines from Franken in northern Bavaria. The region is home to many young vintners whose motto is quality, not quantity. The region has been home to wine-growing for over 1,200 years.
Image: Daniel Karmann/dpa/picture alliance
Moselle
Here you will find steep vineyards on the river banks. This one is in fact the steepest vineyard in Europe with 68 degree gradients. The only equipment here is the cog wheel railway. Everything else has to be done by hand. This is Germany’s oldest wine-growing region. The tradition was brought here by the Romans 2,000 years ago.
Image: Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa/picture alliance
Baden
This area enjoys plenty of sunshine. It is Germany’s third largest wine-growing region and stretches from Lake Constance to Tauberfranken. Baden is the most important wine region for pinot noir.
Image: Rolf Haid/dpa/picture alliance
Württemberg
The centers of this wine-growing region are Stuttgart and Heilbronn. The amount of wine consumed by the locals is twice the national average. The region is famous for its red wine. Stuttgart produces more wine than any other German city and stages an annual wine-tasting event.
Image: Franziska Kraufmann/dpa/picture alliance
Ahr
The village of Mayschloss on the River Ahr is surrounded by vineyards. The Ahr valley is one of the northernmost wine-growing regions in Germany and also one of the smallest. A 35 kilometer hiking path links the vineyards. The flood in July 2021 destroyed 50 hectares of land, which is now being rebuilt.
Image: FVV Rheinland-Pfalz/dpa/picture alliance
Saale-Unstrut
Germany’s northern-most wine-growing region is along the Saale and Unstrut rivers. The wines from this region are rather rough and the yields are small. Nevertheless the local vintners have learned how to produce top quality wines and they are in huge demand.
Image: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa/picture alliance
Saxony
This wine-growing region, like Saale-Unstrut, is in the former East Germany. It enjoyed a revival after the fall of communism. It is now well-known for its sparkling wines, for example from Schloss Wackerbarth, the second oldest cellar for sparkling wines in Germany. During the last weekend of August more than 25 local vineyards open their doors to the public for wine tasting and guided tours.
Image: Daniel Gammert/dpa/picture alliance
Nahe
This region with some 4,000 hectares of vineyards lies between the Rhine and Moselle rivers. It is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions. It is best explored by hiking or cycling but it also has its own wine route.
Image: Fredrik Von Erichsen/dpa/picture alliance
Hessische Bergstrasse
This region is located north of Heidelberg. Just 452 hectares in size, it boasts 233 different types of soil. Wines differ from place to place. They are rarely found on shop shelves because they are almost all sold and drunk locally.
Image: Daniel Reinhardt/dpa/picture alliance
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White wine aplenty
Of the total 2018 vintage, 64 percent will be white and 36 percent will be red. In the Mosel (90 percent), Rheingau (85 percent) and Middle Rhine (86 percent) growing regions, white grapes are the main crop.
Estimates also predicted higher yields for red grape varieties in 2018. The harvest of the Pinot Noir will increase from 230,700 hectoliters to 1.01 million hectoliters, the Dornfelder from 75,200 hectoliters to 914,400 hectoliters and the Portuguese from 62,800 hectoliters to 330,200 hectoliters.
Wine grape harvest is in full swing in Germany. Take a trip into the world of Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Silvaner and co.
Image: Daniel Karmann/dpa/picture alliance
Autumn is grape harvest time
German wine differs from wines of other countries - it's light, lively and fruity, thanks to Germany's unique climatic and geological conditions. The diversity of German wine stems from the many soil types and grape varieties. This diversity is reflected in Germany's 13 wine-growing regions.
Image: Fredrik von Erichsen/dpa/picture alliance
Rheinhessen
The vineyards here are between Worms, Mainz and Bingen and cover an area of 26,000 hectares. This is Germany’s largest wine-growing region, in part dating back to the 9th century.
Image: Fredrik Von Erichsen/dpa/picture alliance
Rheingau
There are six different wine-growing regions along the Rhine, including the Rheingau. The monastery in Eberbach was founded by Cistercian monks from Burgundy. They brought the skills of wine-making to the monastery and its wines are exported the world over.
Image: Boris Roessler/dpa/picture alliance
Middle Rhine
The Middle Rhine region begins in Bingen. The river becomes narrower here and the region is famous for its steep vineyards beside the Rhine. The region with its castles and medieval towns became a UNESCO world heritage site in 2002.
Image: Frank Kleefeldt/dpa/picture alliance
Palatinate
This is a wine-growing region with superlatives that include the largest wine festival and the world’s largest wine barrel. Along the 85 kilometer long German wine trail you will find 130 wine-growing towns and villages. Every year the German wine queen is crowned in Neustadt.
Image: Lando Hass/dpa/picture alliance
Franconia
The famous round wine bottles are the trademark of wines from Franken in northern Bavaria. The region is home to many young vintners whose motto is quality, not quantity. The region has been home to wine-growing for over 1,200 years.
Image: Daniel Karmann/dpa/picture alliance
Moselle
Here you will find steep vineyards on the river banks. This one is in fact the steepest vineyard in Europe with 68 degree gradients. The only equipment here is the cog wheel railway. Everything else has to be done by hand. This is Germany’s oldest wine-growing region. The tradition was brought here by the Romans 2,000 years ago.
Image: Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa/picture alliance
Baden
This area enjoys plenty of sunshine. It is Germany’s third largest wine-growing region and stretches from Lake Constance to Tauberfranken. Baden is the most important wine region for pinot noir.
Image: Rolf Haid/dpa/picture alliance
Württemberg
The centers of this wine-growing region are Stuttgart and Heilbronn. The amount of wine consumed by the locals is twice the national average. The region is famous for its red wine. Stuttgart produces more wine than any other German city and stages an annual wine-tasting event.
Image: Franziska Kraufmann/dpa/picture alliance
Ahr
The village of Mayschloss on the River Ahr is surrounded by vineyards. The Ahr valley is one of the northernmost wine-growing regions in Germany and also one of the smallest. A 35 kilometer hiking path links the vineyards. The flood in July 2021 destroyed 50 hectares of land, which is now being rebuilt.
Image: FVV Rheinland-Pfalz/dpa/picture alliance
Saale-Unstrut
Germany’s northern-most wine-growing region is along the Saale and Unstrut rivers. The wines from this region are rather rough and the yields are small. Nevertheless the local vintners have learned how to produce top quality wines and they are in huge demand.
Image: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa/picture alliance
Saxony
This wine-growing region, like Saale-Unstrut, is in the former East Germany. It enjoyed a revival after the fall of communism. It is now well-known for its sparkling wines, for example from Schloss Wackerbarth, the second oldest cellar for sparkling wines in Germany. During the last weekend of August more than 25 local vineyards open their doors to the public for wine tasting and guided tours.
Image: Daniel Gammert/dpa/picture alliance
Nahe
This region with some 4,000 hectares of vineyards lies between the Rhine and Moselle rivers. It is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions. It is best explored by hiking or cycling but it also has its own wine route.
Image: Fredrik Von Erichsen/dpa/picture alliance
Hessische Bergstrasse
This region is located north of Heidelberg. Just 452 hectares in size, it boasts 233 different types of soil. Wines differ from place to place. They are rarely found on shop shelves because they are almost all sold and drunk locally.