German and French vintners are harvesting their grapes weeks ahead of schedule following the heatwave that has affected much of Europe.
While many German farmers have complained that the hot and dry climate has damaged their crops, with yields of some, such as wheat, expected to be down by as much as 50%, vintners have seen reason to celebrate.
“We are extremely early with our harvest this year,” Ernst Büscher, from the German Wine Institute, told German media. “Historically speaking we’re around three weeks ahead of where we’d usually be.” Yields are also predicted to be considerably higher than usual.
The long, hot, period is expected to produce a better quality wine due to riper grapes with a higher sugar content and consequently a higher alcohol content as well, according to experts, who were poised to taste the much anticipated very young wine, or federweisser, when it was due to go on sale this weekend.
The early harvest puts German vintners on a good footing with their Italian colleagues. Usually imports of Italy’s young wines hit the German market about a month ahead of German ones. This year they will be in direct competition as they come on the market at a similar time.
For more read the full of article at The Guardian
