Status report by Dirk Würz, our estate manager - 5 October 2011

Things often turn out differently than expected.

I had quite a scare two weeks ago! Sleepless nights...a panicky feeling that everything could simply succumb to rot. Then, the unexpected: two weeks of tremendous weather. Absolutely wonderful weather enabled us to continue harvesting. It’s been fantastic and problem-free.

In the meantime, we harvested grapes of Spätlese and Auslese ripeness, and last weekend, a Trockenbeerenauslese with about 270 degrees Oechsle. A true gift of nature! We’re now in the final third of our harvest – after starting nearly four weeks ago.

Yesterday, we picked the first grapes in Rüdesheim. They’re in great shape, very aromatic, and physiologically, completely ripe. Our game plan at the moment is to continue harvesting in our holdings in Rüdesheim, parcel by parcel, so that at the end of next week, we can resume picking in Hattenheim – in our top sites. The end of this year’s harvest is more or less in sight...  

...but the forecast is a bit worrisome: the weather is supposed to change and rain is predicted. I hope it won’t be too bad.

Best regards,
Dirk Würtz