Wine Industry Report

Painstaking selection yields top quality wines…

Walhausen & Baden-Baden/Germany…The top wine estates of Germany will remember the harvest of 2006 as being unusually costly and labor-intensive thanks to capricious weather conditions. Ripe grapes – albeit miniature quantities in some cases – yielded musts with high extract values. It was a vintage of highs and lows. The chairman of the VDP Ahr, Wolfgang Hehle, rates 2006 as “a sensationally good vintage in every respect.” His VDP counterpart in the Pfalz, Hansjörg Rebholz, remarks: “At a point in time when worldwide interest in top German wines has never been greater, we simply won’t have enough wine to meet demand.”

SITUATION AT THE OUTSET
Although July was very dry, vineyards everywhere remained intact. To counter the long-term impact of climatic changes, numerous VDP estates have already installed drip irrigation systems in vineyards prone to dehydration when water supplies are short.

At the beginning of a very wet, humid August, growers began annual vineyard procedures to regulate yields with a “green” harvest by removing diseased and/or unripe berries/bunches. Depending on grape variety and clone, large berries with lower must weights (7–8° Oechsle) are sorted out, or bunches are halved to enable the reduced number of grapes to ripen optimally. In addition, it is common practice for top growers to remove foliage to enhance a vine’s ability to quickly “dry off” during wet or humid periods and thus prevent the onset of fungus. According to VDP Württemberg chairman, Gert Aldinger, these procedures alone require some 120 hours of work per hectare (2.471 acres). Vineyards everywhere profited from these measures and entered the final ripening phase largely intact. A prolonged period of rainfall at this stage of ripening is a problem. Sites with good circulation (i.e., in which grapes can quickly dry off) tend to yield healthier grapes.

More and more VDP estates are adopting a holistic approach – biodynamic viticulture. Compared with German wine-growers in general, an above-average number of VDP estates are certified as “ecologically-oriented” according to EU regulations and an even larger number of estates follow these practices to some degree in tending their vines and making their wines. “Mens sana in corpore sano” is also valid for wine: A vigorous vineyard thrives in healthy soil and yields outstanding grapes.

THE HARVEST
The harvest started in nearly all regions by mid- to late September. The grapes were healthy and the prognosis good. Rain – at times, monsoonal – in late September and early October called for quick action, also in vinveyards where laborious measures to reduce yields had been undertaken for a harvest of top-quality grapes. When ripe berries are subjected to high levels of moisture, they swell enormously, their skins become thin, and they tend to burst, after which they begin to rot. Depending on how ripe the berries are at the onset of botrytis (gray mold), the fungus can be diastrous (berries yield sour, unripe juice) or desirable (ripe berries affected by so-called “noble rot” yield rich, highly concentrated juice, e.g. dessert wines). In 2006, there were large regional and local differences in vineyards affected by rot. In order to minimize damage, all hands were called on to bring in the crop as quickly as possible. Despite poor weather, bunches had to be very carefully selected to achieve optimal results: those affected by undesirable rot were cut and left on the ground; healthy grapes and/or those affected by noble rot were gathered separately. Often, more than 400 working hours per hectare (ca. 2.5 acres) were necessary for harvesting by hand – in comparison with an average of 1.5 hours per ha. by mechanical harvester. The difference in cost is even starker: €2,500 per ha. for an extremely selective harvest by hand vs. €500 per ha. for a mechanical harvest. In all, to harvest the very best quality was a prohibitively expensive undertaking for many growers. According to Rebholz/Pfalz: “The outstanding wines in the cellars of Germany’s Prädikat Wine Estates are worth the efforts expended for the harvest in 2006.”

THE VINTAGE
Despite the extraordinary harvest conditions, VDP estates rate 2006 as a very good vintage. Pre-clarification, or must racking, was the most important thing this year so that the juice could ferment without problems. Riesling musts have been described as ripe, with a good acid structure (crisper than that of 2003). Due to widespread botrytis (noble rot), there are likely to be numerous dessert wines, such as the specialties Beeren- and Trockenbeerenauslese. The Pinots are expected to have a pronounced spectrum of aromas and are described as very firm. In the Ahr region, 2006 has already been dubbed a “Spätburgunder vintage” – very good and even better than 2003.

THE QUANTITY
Quantities varied considerably from region to region, depending on water reserves of vineyards; regional influences, such as hail and amount of precipitation at the start of the harvest; and the proportion of Riesling vines in a site. With Riesling, for example, yields were extremely reduced due to weather conditions. Therefore, an average yield of 35 - 45 hl/ha was not unusual for VDP estates in the Pfalz and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer regions. The Ahr, Franken, Württemberg and easternmost regions were satisfied with the “normal VDP” yields of ca. 65 hl/ha. In the Rheingau and Nahe regions, the timing of the harvest was a decisive factor in the overall size of the crop (40 - 50 hl/ha). In all, for many estates this vintage will be the smallest recorded in this generation – yet it is of particularly high quality.

MARKET DEVELOPMENT
“At a point in time when worldwide interest in top German wines has never been greater, we simply won’t have enough wine to meet demand.” Many VDP estates have echoed the opinion expressed by Rebholz/Pfalz. Increased demand is expected, particularly in export markets and the specialty trade. The latter is increasingly responsible for distribution to the restaurant trade. As a result, direct demand is stagnant. In export markets, the ongoing enthusiasm for Riesling is reflected by a considerable increase in demand. However, deficient cellar stocks due to the small size of the crop, as well as the extremely labor-intensive, costly harvest procedures, will not only make it difficult for estates to meet demand, but also puts them under enormous pressure with regard to pricing. For many estates, price increases will be unavoidable – in some cases, to secure their livelihood. Last but not least, the three percent increase in value-added tax as of 1 January 2007 is likely to adversely affect consumer buying habits.

REGIONAL RÉSUMÉS

MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER
Despite difficult conditions – warm, humid weather during the harvest and hail damage (above all in the Saar Valley) – top growers met the challenge and went all out to achive high quality. The selection of bunches was two-fold: in the vineyard, grapes were checked for both odors and flavors and sorted into three groups: unhealthy, heathy, and botrytised; in the press house, prior to pressing, the latter were sorted by hand to select those suitable for the rarities Beeren- and Trockenbeerenauslese. In additional to their excellent acidity structure, the young musts were rich in fruit aromas reminiscent of passion fruit, mango and pear. The honeyed, dried fruit aromas of the very ripe grape musts bode well for excellent, lusciously sweet wines.

AHR – a great Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir vintage
The Prädikat Wine Estates in the Ahr Valley are pleased with a great Spätburgunder vintage. The cool, wet weather of August provided the vines with a good supply of minerals and fostered the development of extracts. In the weeks thereafter, rainfall was timely, and compared with their colleagues in other regions, Ahr growers had a picture-perfect harvest with top results. First samples show intense, powerful wines that are rich in extract and fruit. They have a long finish. Vintage 2006 is being compared with 2001 and 1999. “As a grower in the Ahr Valley, one can’t help but have the feeling that we live in the Promised Land. For the past decade, we seem to have been spared the vagaries of nature – frost, hail or excessive autumn precipitation,” notes Ludwig Kreuzberg of Dernau.

MITTELRHEIN – great vintage despite adversities
Growers in the Mittelrhein Valley see 2006 as a great vintage, despite extremely small crops in some cases. Those who harvested early report average yields; others, who harvested later, lost up to 85% of their crop, depending on grape variety. Grapes in steep sites with good circulation fared best under this year’s weather conditions. Weingut Ratzenberger/Bacharach even hopes to harvest Eiswein. Thanks to stringent selection in the vineyard and “full steam ahead” in the cellar, what remains of the 2006 crop will please customers. Preliminary résumé from Weingut Toni Jost/Bacharach: “Extremely little – extremely good!”

RHEINGAU – small, but fine vintage
In the Rheingau, too, those who began harvesting grapes for their Gutsweine (house wines) in September (i.e. early) – such as Weingut Jakob Jung/Erbach – report a normal harvest. Thereafter, results were comparable with elsewhere. Resourcefulness paid off: growers used the wet mornings to make a negative selection (i.e. discard unhealthy bunches), and afternoons/evenings, when the grapes had dried off, they proceeded to pick the grapes destined to yield wines of good quality. Spätburgunder grapes remained healthier longer and therefore could be left longer to ripen on the vines.

NAHE – quickest harvest in decades
Nahe growers managed to bring in the crop within three weeks – the quickest harvest in decades. Following torrential rains between 30 September and 3 October, it was necessary to carefully monitor grapes, many of which burst after swelling so quickly. Delaying the harvest would not have improved quality, but rather have effected a further reduction in crop size. In the end, a very selective harvest was necessary to sort out grapes suitable for premium wines, e.g. Grosse Gewächse (great growths) and Auslese. Following the heavy rains in early October, the skies cleared and the harvest could proceed under blue skies and wonderful autumn weather.

Because the grapes were extremely ripe and fragile, skin contact time was less important than whole cluster pressing. In all, a very good vintage despite the small quantity. The musts and fermenting young wines are already showing clarity and an appealing fruitiness.

RHEINHESSEN – “power” harvest
Fritz Groebe/Westhofen assesses the current vintage in Rheinhessen: “Unusual, unpredictable, yet brought forth absolutely beautiful wines.” Time was of the essence during the harvest, because growers faced many challenges at once. Regardless of grape variety and site, grapes ripened simultaneously (rather than in stages) and rot set in at a record pace. Particularly in the southern part of the region, massive rainfall resulted in a considerable reduction in the size of the crop. As of 8 October, noble rot ensued throughout. Hand harvesting, with extremely careful selection, was the decisive factor in bringing in a good, clean crop. Caroline Spanier-Gillot of Weingut Kühling-Gillot/Bodenheim remarks that “the old saying, that a wine is born in the vineyard, is especially true of this vintage.” A look in the cellar shows that the efforts in the vineyards were worth the effort. The harvest yielded very high quality, albeit very little quantity. According to Michael Gutlzer/Gundheim: “Grapes that were harvested in a healthy state or sufficiently selected show tremendous fruit and a harmonious acidity – they will really develop well! Those who love German wines will be quite satisfied.”

PFALZ
Barbara Acham, Weingut Acham-Magin/Forst: “The starting must weights were good to very good from the beginning, but the quantity melted away, day to day, hour to hour, like snow beneath the sun. Hundreds of hours of handwork yielded a minimal quantity of high-quality wine.” Selective harvesting by hand is the norm for VDP estates. As such, Pfalz growers were also prepared for the circumstances of the 2006 harvest. The harvest took place at great speed, yet only the smallest quantities of top wines could be harvested. Christoph Graf, Reichsrat von Buhl/Deidesheim: “The very small quantities of Grosse Gewächse in 2006 are a big problem. Demand for these wines at home and abroad has never been greater and far exceeds what we can supply.”

FRANKEN – a harvest as fast as lightning
In Franken, the early-ripening varieties had been harvested before massive rainfall on 3 October. Thereafter, harvesting and pressing took place nonstop to overcome the threat of rot in the white wine grapes and prevent undesirably high must weights. Red grapes were by and large spared from these problems. Intelligent vineyard management with regard to water reserves and nutrient supplies paid off. Although vintage 2006 was a great challenge for growers, it was possible to maintain VDP quality standards through very meticulous harvesting by hand – as quickly as possible. The “flash harvest” al-ready ended by mid-October. Average yields were comparable with those of last year. The young wines are very firm and show a broad spectrum of aromas.

SAALE-UNSTRUT / SACHSEN – rapid harvest
The harvest in the easternmost regions started with healthy grapes. In the second week of October, after fog and drizzle, well-developed but thin-skinned berries showed the first signs of botrytis. Since must weights were already high and acid values optimal, growers brought in the crop rapidly. The wines are full-bodied and have a naturally balanced acid structure.

WÜRTTEMBERG
Growers in Württemberg are satisfied with the quality of the grapes that were very carefully selected. Particularly the Pinots and Lemberger are promising. Nevertheless, hail in early summer and the damp, warm weather of the last weeks of the harvest took their toll. As elsewhere, unimaginably painstaking efforts that were extraordinarily expensive were necessary to sort out the unhealthy grapes and various quality grades for Gutsweine and Lagenweine from classified sites. Nevertheless, quality-oriented growers were rewarded for their efforts. Creamy white wines with a pronounced fruitiness and deep-colored, compact red wines are the norm.

BADEN – smallest yields following capricious weather
After a rainy August in Baden, September weather was incalculable. Many a grower was forced to cope with torrential rains, hail, and storm damage. Rain and warm temperatures fostered the development of mold that reduced yields – regardless of variety – to as little as 20 hl/ha. Here, too, Riesling wines will not be easy to come by. Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Gutedel were only slightly less robust. Speed was of the essence to save what was left to save. An extremely time-consuming selection was also necessary for red varieties that had been harvested somewhat earlier. The young wines sampled thus far have creamy notes and are reminiscent of honey and ripe fruits – reward for the uncompromising efforts of growers who performed Sisyphean tasks to bring in vintage 2006.

CLOSING REMARKS
Steffen Christmann, one of the VDP’s presiding officers, notes: “Every year the Prädikat Wine Estates opt for harvesting by hand to achieve better quality. In this year alone, extremely selective hand harvesting was an absolute must for every top-notch grower who strived to produce wines of the highest quality from a very fragile crop.” VDP president, Michael Pintz zu Salm-Salm, adds: “We are proud that our members went to such enormous efforts for the 2006 vintage. We are convinced that this vintage, too, will contribute to strengthening the renown of German wine and merit standing in the league of great wines of the world. Last but not least: this vintage will afford wine lovers the world over great pleasure.”

[Source: www.vdp.de]