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Meissen. The vineyards between Radebeul and Diesbar-Seußlitz are a lush green. They all make a healthy and fresh impression. The grapes may be a little smaller, but they look ripe and juicy. If it isn't another bumper harvest. But appearances are deceptive. Felix Hößelbarth, chairman of the Saxon winegrowers' association, told sächsische.de on Monday that the result of this year's harvest was around 800,000 liters instead of three million. That would be a good quarter of the usual amount. The late frosts in April were to blame. They caused great destruction.
Lutz Krüger, head of the Meißen winegrowers' cooperative, the largest winery in Saxony, has already announced the end of the harvest. "We will finish the harvest on the last weekend of September," he said at the opening of the Meissen Wine Festival. The other wineries have also finished harvesting or are about to do so. The warm, sunny weather, but also the heavy rainfall, have greatly accelerated the ripening process from the end of August and in September. Hößelbarth: "It may only be a small harvest, but the grapes are of high quality." Many vines have sprouted again after the April frosts, and the so-called "Beiaugen" have developed. They are not quite as fertile as the main eyes, but still helped the winegrowers to a respectable result.
It is possible that the vines at higher altitudes escaped with fewer frost losses. "Where temperatures only reached minus two or three degrees, the wine recovered better than in lower locations near the Elbe with minus six degrees," said Hößelbarth. Apparently, Radebeul fared somewhat better than Meißen or Diesbar. In addition, this year there was no difference between the early and late-ripening varieties. Riesling was also ripe quite early this time. In addition, the ratio between leaves and fruit is completely different, there are many more leaves.
Record harvests in recent years
Varieties such as Riesling and Burgundy have survived the frosts better, as have the new fungus-resistant varieties such as Solaris and Regent. There will probably be very little Traminer from Saxony this year, and probably no ice wine at all. "But there is still enough wine in general," said Hößelbarth. "We'll get there next year too, because we had record harvests in 2022/2023."
Nevertheless, price increases at individual wineries are possible, said Hößelbarth. However, he does not recommend this measure. "Because we already have a high price level." Better management of sales would be more effective. The wineries benefit much more financially if they sell their wines directly, especially at wine festivals and events, than if they sell them on the market.
The Saxon late frost subsidies are in the final phase, says Hößelbarth. At the beginning of October, winegrowers can submit their applications to the Sächsische Aufbaubank. The Free State of Saxony is providing 22 million euros in aid for fruit growers and winegrowers together. The distribution of the money is still under discussion. In any case, the fruit growers will receive the money sooner because they need it now. The winegrowers, who are still living off the previous year's harvest, will not receive their payment until 2025. According to Hößelbarth, Saxony has been generous, even if not all losses are covered. Saxony-Anhalt provided five million euros in aid, Thuringia three million.
There is also additional financial aid from the EU's agricultural reserve. The amount is still open. This should save all Saxon winegrowing businesses and allow them to continue.
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