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Kick-off for German Federweißer harvest
Germany’s main grape harvest is expected to start in mid-September until end of September depending on the individual wine-growing regions.
At this stage of time, the ripening process is about two weeks ahead of the long-term average. Due to a late frost in late april Germany's vintners depended on so called "second shots" in many regions in order to achieve satisfying volume. Luckily vines casted out again in late spring and early summer.
Therefore losses in volume are limited to roughly 10% in average of all 13 wine growing regions. According to first estimates, the entire quantity harvested in Germany this year is expected to be slightly below the ten-year average of nine million hectolitres.
Vintners are now wishing for a sunny and dry autumn in the coming weeks. Combined with this year's sufficient supply of water, conditions could be ideal for a fine vintage 2017.
Video: Main harvest from mid september onwards
Video: Fermentation
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The media loves to cover the annual start of the "Federweißer" harvest (so called new wine) about four weeks before the start of the main harvest. Location: Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Frea Magin tastes grapes of the early ripening variety called Findling that got harvested with a quality level of 80 degree "Oechle" (sugar in grape scale)