According to the Deutsches Weininstitut (DWI), this year’s warm weather could mean an earlier than average harvest for German vintners. In the warmest winegrowing regions in Germany, a streak of sunny days has caused vines to bloom before their customary date. Vintners witnessed the blooming of vines as early as the end of May, 8-10 days earlier than the 30-year average.
The early-blooming vines will likely impact the start of harvest, which usually occurs 100 days following flowering and fruit set. If weather conditions remain mild, this could mean that vintners will be picking grapes in early September. The first grapes used to make Federweisser, a young wine that gives the first clues about the potential quality of a vintage, are expected to be ready in mid-August.
Germany’s winemakers are optimistic about the quality of the 2020 vintage and they’re welcoming the cool and rainy weather in the past week, as it has slowed down the development of the vines in warmer winegrowing regions. While numerous vineyards in warmer regions already have small grapes, the vine bloom in cooler areas is still in full swing.
The quality and yield of the vineyards will ultimately be affected by the conditions over the next three months. Winemakers are hopeful that vineyards will be spared of excessive drought and other extreme weather conditions, allowing for optimal conditions for the 2020 vintage.
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