From vineyard to cellar

I recently referred to an old saying...if the weather on Assumption Day (15 August) is sunny and warm, it bodes well for more of the same in autumn. It seems to be holding true this year.

At the moment, the weather is a real dream! If it continues so...well, I don’t want to be too euphoric just yet, but I have a really good feeling. The grapes are developing splendidly. There was some damage from downy mildew and sunburn, but it’s turned out to be negligible. I’m quite confident about the future scenario in terms of ripening. The only things that can stop us now are hail or a long period of rain. Fortunately, neither are in the forecast at this time. We can also say that the harvest will begin considerably later than in the past few years. I think we’ll start picking the first Riesling grapes around 4 October. I can’t remember when our harvest began this late. It’s been years...

Right now, preparations for the harvest are in full swing. In other words: we're cleaning everything in which the crop will be received. Every tank and all equipment have to be squeaky clean. The presses and all receptacles are being inspected, and tractors are undergoing another maintenance check. Everyone is focused and we’re all looking forward to the greatest time of the year: the harvest!

Best regards,

Dirk Würtz, estate manager