Saxony is one of Germany’s smallest wine-growing regions. Most of the estates are already through with the harvest at the beginning of October because of the wet conditions.
Meissen/Radebeul (dpa/sn) – The grape harvest in the Saxon Elbe valley between Pirna and Diesbar-Seußlitz is nearing completion. The majority of the wineries are already finished or close to the end, said the chairman of the winegrowing association of Saxony, Felix Hößelbarth, the German press agency. With the beginning of October you are about two weeks earlier than normal. Contrary to what was expected, it was a relatively quick, short and early harvest – and the result was better than expected. “It will be a good vintage, in terms of quality and quantity.”
According to Hößelbarth, the original forecast can be corrected slightly upwards. “It’s slightly less than the last harvest and we’re expecting 2.3 to 2.4 million liters for Saxony.” That is five to ten percent less than in 2021. The quality is better. “We are definitely five to ten degrees Oechsle higher in must weight than last year, and acids are definitely much more mature. We’re in a good, normal year there.”
The vintners were particularly challenged because of the change in the weather. The problem isn’t the cold, it’s the wet, he said. In Radebeul alone, more precipitation fell than in the previous seven months. “That’s less favorable for viticulture.” At the beginning of harvest at the end of August, heat and drought were expected to continue. That was reversed.
“We have the complete range of really great, ripe, healthy berries that were still able to absorb and process this rain. These are great qualities and also good quantities.” Everything is fine in the middle range. In one or the other situation, however, there is rot in places. “Overall, however, the positive clearly outweighs the negative. It will be a solid vintage.”
The change was particularly favorable for the white wines, which now have the typical “cool climate” style. “These are elegant wines with beautiful fruitiness that Saxony stands for. We managed to get them just right because the dry period was over.” According to Hößelbarth, there are also very good red wines from good locations, such as Pinot Noir. “The weather was good for that, too, because if it’s too hot and dry, it becomes too alcoholic, too overripe.”
However, the companies were challenged in the harvest and in the cellar. “What used to come in in six to eight weeks, it was in four to five weeks this time,” said Hoesselbarth. The processing of the grapes also had to be organized differently because of the weather. “It was quite labor intensive.”
With around 500 hectares of vineyards, including small areas in Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony is one of the smallest of the 13 German wine-growing regions. In the coming weeks, Goldriesling, Pinot Blanc, Kerner, Dornfelder or Pinot Noir will also be harvested here – and finally Traminer and Riesling.
