2014 Vintage – A Region-by-Region
Report from Germany
Thanks to a rapid, organized harvest and strict
grape selection, German winemakers were able to successfully
meet the challenges of the 2014 vintage head on. While grapes
with the high levels of ripeness necessary for rich, food-friendly
wines and sweet dessert specialties have also been harvested,
wine lovers can look forward to a vintage of predominately
light, fresh and balanced wines, the German Wine Institute (DWI)
is reporting. This style of wine dovetails nicely with the
market's current preference. The chances for an ice wine in this
vintage, however, are not looking good.
With 9.3 million (mn) hl expected to be
harvested throughout Germany — an eleven percent increase over
last year — the anticipated volumes will surpass the roughly 9.2
mn hl averaged over the past 10 years. These numbers have helped
quiet concerns on the price front. All in all, 2014 is shaping
up to be both a high-quality and marketable
vintage.
The DWI has collected the following harvest
reports from Germany's 13 classified winegrowing regions.
Ahr: Lower yields, healthy grapes
First the good news: With a known preference for
red grapes, news of the Spotted Wing Drosphilia
(Kirschessigfliege) caused much concern in this small and
predominantly red wine region. Fortunately the threat didn't
materialize as feared this year — it appears the pests don't
share the Ahr's fondness for Pinot Noir. The winemakers,
however, had no time to celebrate their close call. The harvest
kicked off in late September. The accelerated development caused
by unseasonably lovely spring weather was lost over the course
of 2014's cool, wet summer. Where hopes had soared with an early
April bud break and early flowering in June, they crashed when
July and August saw more than twice the normal levels of
rainfall in the region. Continued wet weather during the harvest
weeks required a great deal of careful, rigorous selection in
the vineyard. The sun's return in October permitted a harvest of
healthy grapes of optimal ripeness and showing good must
weights. The volumes were reduced by between 20 and 30 percent
for each winemaker by the rigorous yet inevitable selection
strategy. Estimates currently anticipate around 45,000
hectoliters (hl), an almost 30 percent jump over the year prior
and a volume significantly above the 10-year
average of 40,000 hl.
Baden: Slow and steady win(e)s the day
The winter in Baden wasn't really one at all. As
a result, the vines kicked into the vegetative stage during the
last ten days of March. The cool weather that followed then
delayed the development through fruit set that was observed
around May 20, even in early developing areas. Thanks to a warm
period in early June, the fruit set was a success in all
corners, excepting several areas that experienced coulure, or
grape shatter. Heavy rains in early July accelerated the growth
of the vines, pushing development forward up through August by
roughly 18 days compared with the long-established
average. In some cases the dates topped even those from 2011,
the benchmark for early development. The health and irrigation
of the vines remained excellent up through harvest. The fly in
the ointment, quite literally: the Spotted Wing Drosphilia,
first observed in Baden vineyards in 2011. This year signaled
the first time that real control measures were needed. Harvest
kicked off on 25 August with the bulk of the harvest moving
forward in early September. Thanks to the warm, sunny weather,
sugar levels rose and acid levels fell in the days leading up to
the grape harvest. A full 25 percent increase from 2013 for
harvest volumes and yields is being forecast, with anticipated
volumes of 1.35 mn hl. Müller-Thurgau and Chasselas (Gutedel)
were particularly bountiful this year, as were the Pinot
varieties. Due to low stocks from smaller, prior harvests and
the exceptional condition of the vines, the current market-ready
wine volumes in Baden have been raised from 90 to 100 hl/ha. In
all, a strong qualitative and quantitative vintage can be
expected from Germany's southernmost winegrowing region.
Franken: Climate Change Comes to Call
The 2014 vintage kept Franken's winemakers on
tenterhooks. "The early signs of climate change, which can
potentially bring us better berry ripeness on the one hand, but
also increased problems with new pests and weather extremes on
the other, were out in full force," summarized the Bavarian
State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture (LWG) in
Veitshöchheim, Germany. These extremes included a winter that
was warmer and drier than normal, the sunniest March since 1953
and bud break 20 days earlier than average. The month of May
however kicked off not just with a cold snap, but also with
individual areas of frost damage. The fruit set for Müller-Thurgau
began on 7 June, 13 days ahead of normal. And a heat wave in mid-June
brought a quick end to the blossoms, with only sporadic
incidents of coulure. July finally delivered the much-needed
precipitation, in some cases as extreme storms. August, by
contrast, brought too much rain and not enough high summer,
leading the berries to absorb water, swell and in some cases
burst. Intensive canopy management helped prevent further damage
to the fruit. The bigger problem arose when the Spotted Wing
Drosphilia began feeding on red wine grapes, thus forcing an
early harvest to prevent total loss. A hailstorm on 11 September
caused significant damages, including 20 - 30% of the Würzburger
Stein site. In the pursuit of healthy berries, this year's turbo-harvest
in Franken was largely concluded by late September. But thanks
to a dry and warm early October, the remaining grapes were able
to achieve a truly optimal ripeness. Overall yields ended up
below the originally highly positive expectations due to
rigorous and necessary selection. The harvest volumes
nevertheless totaled around 490,000 hl, or 13 percent above the
figures from a year ago and still slightly above the long-established
average. With average yields of 81 hl/ha and a mean must weight
of 85 ° Oechsle, Franken's winemakers can generally be pleased
with the market prospects for the 2014 vintage.
Hessische Bergstraße: Satisfactory
yield, so-so weather
The mild and rainy winter of 2013/2014 led to a
good water supply for the vines. Rapid soil warming brought on
by the dry, warm March in turn initiated the onset of an early
vegetative phase. Pinot vines showed bud break on 2 April — 18
days ahead of the historical average and similarly early to the
2007, 2009 and 2011 vintages. Cooler and more changeable weather
throughout the remainder of April stalled the accelerated growth
and development before May warmed once again. Following rapid
shoot growth, 22 May brought the first signs of flowering.
Mid-summer temperatures around
Pentecost brought on a 'turbo-flowering' in the
Riesling vines, and by mid-June — roughly 17 to 18
days ahead of normal — the "pea- sized" stage had been reached.
Beneficial temperatures and desired precipitation in the second
week of July initially brought on rapid, consistent grape
development that was once again slowed by a rainy and cool
August. The Frühburgunder (Pinot Noir Précoce) harvest launched
on 2 September. Careful attention was also given to the
Dornfelder sites with the first appearance of the Spotted Wing
Drosphilia. By late September two-thirds of the
harvest had already been brought in on the Bergstraße. 70 to 74
hl/ha were harvested, figures closer to the historical norm than
the meager yields of the past six years. The harvest volume
totaled roughly 31,000 hectoliters, a much-welcomed
41% over the unusually small volumes of the year prior (22,000
hl) and roughly three percent over the ten-year
average. Winemakers on the Hessische Bergstraße expressed
satisfaction with the quality of the 2014 vintage. The share of
Prädikat wines totaled around 70 percent.
Mittelrhein: Full of Surprises
Sometimes wine is like football: the game can
turn around completely in the final minutes. Up until summer,
winemakers on the Mittelrhein had been quite happy with the
exceptionally warm and dry spring. The record-breaking
early appearance of the first shoots on 8 April set an
accelerated pace for flowering and fruit set with the
anticipated promise of good clusters and large berries. "If the
German national team in Brazil can gain ground like the
vegetation in the vineyards right now, then the chances for a
World Cup title are very good," read an optimistic report from
the official consulting service on 11 June. By 10 August and the
onset of ripening in the Riesling grapes, however, that
significant lead had been reduced to little more than a week;
the cool and wet summer had slowed down the ripening tempo
significantly. Must weights were rising by a mere 5 to 7 Oechsle
degrees per week. In peak years, by contrast, levels sometimes
jump by as much as 15 Oechsle degrees in the same time span.
September then brought wet weather, including heavy rains that
threatened the health of the grapes. The harvest had to move
forward quickly and with a rigorous selection strategy. Yields
from some vineyards were slashed by as much as half. One bit of
consolation: The Spotted Wing Drosphilia did not pose a
significant threat to the Mittelrhein due to the region's
minimal red grape plantings. Fine weather in early October
allowed for a healthy remainder of the harvest, before steady
rains from 7 - 9 October brought the challenging and changeable
2014 vintage to a quick close. On the whole, the volumes of
around 33,000 hectoliters were significantly better than in the
year prior (24,000 hl) and even bested the established average.
The early harvest resulted in somewhat lighter must weights with
Rieslings averaging 75° Oechsle. On the whole, the Mittelrhein
can look forward to a pleasing 2014 vintage defined by a light
and lively character.
Mosel: Year of Contradictions
Steady nerves and a skillful hand were required
from the winemakers on the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer for the 2014
harvest. The capricious weather of summer and early autumn kept
winemakers on their toes, and ultimately produced a number of —
in some cases extreme contradictions. Development began early
with the first bud break on 10 April. Yet temperatures then
dropped in the second half of the month, with damaging frost
nights reported in some areas on 17 April and 4 May. Early June
flowering had finished by the middle of the month in what many
called a"picture-perfect flowering." A wet summer
promoted vigorous shoot growth, leaving the winemakers with
their hands full maintaining the canopies and the good vine
health throughout the remaining summer months. The warm winter,
unfortunately, created an excellent environment for vineyard
pests, with the Mosel registering its first ever appearance of
the Spotted Wing Drosphilia. The pest's preference for red
grapes, only 10% of the Mosel's total planting, was the region's
saving grace. The wet weather at harvest did put the harvesting
teams to the test; to bring in healthy grapes, strict selection
strategies needed to be undertaken early and quickly. Many
estates had negotiated later starting dates with their
harvesting teams and ended up hard-pressed to come
up with the necessary personnel. The latest estimates see
overall harvests on the Mosel as totaling around 900,000
hectoliters (2013: 627,000), although the results varied greatly
by region: While winemakers in the Terrassenmosel (Lower Mosel
region) harvested significantly less than expected, winemakers
in parts of the Middle Mosel and Trier region were able to fetch
higher yields. The high amount of labor and personal attention
required of this harvest ultimately returned dividends to the
estates which moved forward decisively. The majority of the
harvested wines range from estate level to Spätlese, with
average most values for Riesling totaling around 75 Oechsle
degrees. Grapes classified as Auslesen, Beerenauslesen and
Trockenbeerenauslesen were also harvested. The first 2014 wines
have been noted as having high extract levels, with clean fruit
flavors and a well-integrated acidity.
Nahe: All systems go
As with many of Germany's other winegrowing
regions, the vegetative phase in the Nahe began fast and
furious. Riesling, for example, began producing shoots on 12
April, three weeks earlier than average. A smooth flowering some
two weeks ahead of schedule led into a stalled ripening by a
somewhat rainy August. The late August prediction for strong
rains and potential hail forced the winemakers' hands for a
significantly early initial harvest. As summer came to a close,
however, the strong water supply for the grapes gave winemakers
much to be pleased about, with berries filled to bursting.
Pockets of dry weather during the cool September translated into
healthy grapes heading into the harvest. This was especially
true in the estates where careful viticultural practices
regarding canopy, soil and pest management had been employed to
prevent Botrytis. Many of the Silvaner sites also produced
notably healthy and fully ripe grapes. Although the infamous
Spotted Wing Drosphilia arrived somewhat later to the Nahe
region, in many cases it forced a very quick harvest of the red
wine varieties (Frühburgunder, Regent, Portugieser and
Dornfelder). Spätburgunder sites were less affected. With must
weights and acid values landing around the expected averages,
the harvest volumes were approx. 360,000 hectoliters, or 11
percent
Rheingau: Challenges mastered
The fourth warmest winter since 1885 meant that
the Rheingau didn't achieve the minus temperatures needed for an
Eiswein harvest. This warm winter was then followed by an even
warmer spring that in turn led to a record-breaking
bud break on 7 April, the earliest date observed since record-keeping
began in 1955. Such early bud breaks have traditionally brought
with them the risk of late spring frosts; and indeed, in mid-April
and on 4 May temperatures in certain vineyards dropped
precipitously close to the freezing point, but ultimately did
not cause major damage. A spell of cooler weather in late May
led to flowering in the warm sites during the month's final
days. Otherwise early and mid-June ran optimally.
Summer announced its arrival with a brief heat wave in June.
While early July remained extremely dry, significant rains in
the second half of the month balanced it out. July and August in
fact produced twice the average levels of precipitation. This
led to steadily climbing levels of disease pressure. While the
cool August managed to keep the grapes healthy, it also slowed
the development of the vines. Those who utilized careful canopy
management with an eye towards ventilation were able to bring in
a satisfactory harvest. Early ripening pushed the harvest two
weeks ahead of schedule to mid-September. And
strong rains on 26 September meant that even the Riesling and
Spätburgunder needed to be harvested earlier than planned.
Yields were generally quite acceptable. With 250,000 hectoliters
expected, harvest values are roughly 10 percent above the ten-year
average and a full third higher year-over-year.
"In 2014 the winegrowers once again faced significant
challenges, but in mastering them they were able to bring in a
harvest that is strong both in terms of quality and quantity,"
notes Peter Seyffardt, president of the Rheingau Winegrowers
Association.
Rheinhessen: Unstable weather, turbo-harvest,
stable yields in the end
Although the year started out warm and dry with
bud break in early April (4 - 10 April), the unexpected arrival
of several biting cold snaps, particularly on 16 April and 4
May, required seriously steady nerves. Fortunately for the
winemakers, the temperatures hovered just above freezing thus
preventing serious frost damage. The cold May nights also caused
the first flowering to stretch to 50 days after bud break —
although still early when compared with average years. Things
warmed up around Pentecost. Fruit set progressed quickly and
synchronously, with overall development measuring 14 days ahead
of schedule, much to the winemakers' delight. The warm but
extremely wet July reduced initial concerns about overly dry
vineyards and brought rapid shoot growth, with as many as four
rounds of canopy management required in some sites. August,
however, was much too cool and wet, and many parts of
Rheinhessen saw three times the normal amounts of precipitation.
Despite this, initial density measurements found the grapes
healthy and well developed. All signs including must weights and
the first Federweißer — harvested early, on 8 August — pointed
toward an outstanding vintage. September, however, had once
again something else in mind. A steady period of mild and moist
weather settled in, threatening the health of the grapes before
the first week of September had drawn to a close. Although
targeted canopy management helped keep this danger at bay, the
first appearance of the Spotted Wing Drosphilia necessitated
quick action. Many plots of Portugieser and Dornfelder in
particular underwent a fast and unexpectedly early harvest. This
year's harvest required high levels of attention, multiple
rounds of strict selection and a significantly larger harvest
team. That said, most Rheinhessen estates completed their
harvests in the first week of October, with good quality
expected. On the whole, volumes in Germany's largest winegrowing
region totaled around 2.6 million hectoliters, roughly the same
level as a year ago and in line with the ten- year average.
Pfalz: A tough year mastered, strong yields ahead
While just a year ago saw the latest bud break
since 1987, in 2014 it appeared a full 18 days ahead of the long-established
average for Rieslings. The region did not experience significant
late frosts, with flowering beginning in early June, only
slightly ahead of the long- established average. Unusually warm
temperatures on and around Pentecost led to rapid grape
development. A lack of rain necessitated irrigation measures in
late June for the newer vineyards. By late July the vegetation
stood roughly three weeks ahead of the year prior and roughly
ten days ahead of the average date from the past 25 years. The
harvest for the early-ripening varieties to use in
Federweißer kicked off by mid-August. The first
reports of Spotted Wing Drosphilia sightings put winemakers on
high alert in the vineyards, and led to early harvests (early
September) for Dornfelder and other red wine varieties. By early
October the white and late-ripening varieties had
been harvested — with ripe and healthy fruit. "We brought in
grapes in very strong physiological condition, and look forward
to a vintage of fresh, fruit-forward and balanced
wines," reports Klaus Scheinder, Vice-President of
the Winegrower's Association Pfalz. Although the weather meant
that top must weights were more exception than rule, the young
wines nevertheless seem highly promising. The white varietals
are presenting a balanced interplay of sweetness and acidity,
with restrained alcohol levels. Total harvest figures for the
Pfalz are estimated at 2.2 million hectoliters, which conforms
to the long-established average.
Saalle-Unstrut: Fruity
quality wines, strong yields
The winter was warm and dry, and unfortunately
failed to reach the minus temperatures needed for Eiswein until
late January. On the whole, it was a notably warm winter that
averaged roughly 3°C above than the historical average. This
eased the winemakers' concerns about bud damage and let them
hope for strong shoot development. The only real point of worry
were the low precipitation levels — one measurement station
within the region measured a mere 35 mm of rainfall during the
first three months. Spring temperatures remained very mild,
leading to a bud break almost three weeks ahead of the
historical average. Pest caterpillars emerged as a threat,
eating and damaging the new buds. April and May saw sufficient
levels of rain. In mid-May temperatures warmed
significantly, maintaining the roughly three-week
accelerated development schedule. A dry and warm June brought
about flowering from 13 June onwards, in what was ultimately a
quick and smooth process, and in turn led to a very early fruit
set. An initial dry period ended with stormy weather and hail,
however, which caused heavy damage to the young grapes in
certain spots in and around Freyburg. Fortunately the damaged
grapes quickly dried off again. It rained often between July and
September, with high relative humidity and a corresponding
threat of infection that necessitated a rapid and selective
harvest starting on 9 September. The harvest work was completed
by mid-October. In Germany's northernmost
winegrowing region, the estimates call for average yields of 60
hl/ha, with a slightly above-average overall
volume of roughly 45,000 hectoliters. Many of the estate-level
wines will end up slender, light and fruit-forward
with a few specialty wines in the Prädikat range.
Sachsen: Low yield, good estate-level wines
Germany's easternmost wine region saw bud break
almost two weeks earlier than the historical average, and
flowering began on 8 June under very advantageous conditions.
After months of notably dry weather, June, however, saw 60
liters of precipitation per square meter. In some cases this
precipitation fell as hail that caused damages in certain spots
around the region. At the start of the harvest in early
September, the conditions seemed prime for an uncomplicated
harvest with satisfactory yields of healthy, well-ripened
fruit. Heavy rains and high relative humidity levels forced
harvest schedules for medium and slow- ripening varieties to be
bumped up in order to ensure healthy grapes. By early October
most estates had completed their harvests, in many cases having
to pull in extra harvest staff to enable rapid but selective
work. Sachsen is estimating harvest volumes of around 18,000 hl
for 2014, slightly below the average volume and corresponding to
an average yield of just 40 hl/ha. The estate wines stand out
for their characteristic and true-to-varietal
aromas and refreshing acidity. The share of Prädikat wines is
estimated at around 20 percent.
Württemberg: Early harvest, healthy
grapes
For the first time since 1947, the region
experienced a winter so extraordinarily mild and dry that no
real snow cover ever formed. It was also the warmest, driest
March since the early 1970s. On 26 March, temperatures fell
below the freezing point leading to some early bud damage. Bud
break itself began unusually early (around 10 April), then
another round of sub- zero temperatures on 16 April caused more
isolated frost damage. The entire spring, including May, was
markedly dry, as was sunny June. Fruit set took place two weeks
earlier than the historical average and progressed very rapidly.
Some incidents of coulure were reported, although as a silver
lining the resulting loose clusters were less susceptible to
Botrytis during veraison. July was warm and very wet, and the
region's water reservoirs were fully recharged. The grapes
continued to develop rapidly during the warm August as well. By
the end of summer the vines were uniformly well developed and
healthy. Harvest started on 15 September with the Müller-Thurgau
grapes. A close watch was kept on the Spotted Wing Drosphilia,
and any sites threatened by its presence were harvested early.
In all, Württemberg's winemakers expect a yield of roughly one
million hectoliters. If these estimates hold, it would fall
slightly below average but still 14 percent higher than last
year's poor results. Must weights for the white wines were
somewhat above the historical mean. Roughly 20 percent of the
harvested grapes were Prädikat wines, while the remaining 80
percent will be classified as estate wines.
Deutsches Weininstitut, Press Office
Gutenbergplatz 3-5, 55116 Mainz,
Germany
www.deutscheweine.de www.germanwines.de
German Wine Institute, Dec.
2014 +++ www.germanwines.de +++ www.youtube.com/deutscheweine
+++ www.oechsle.tv