After the unusually warm and dry summer, the grape harvest already started mid last week for most vintners at the Moselle and is now at full speed. Across the region, winemakers anticipate a slightly smaller but certainly promising vintage of high-quality wines.
Earlier last week, the harvest season had gripped most of the vineyards across the Moselle region and is now moving ahead at full speed. The official kickoff to the season took place this Wednesday, with the annual visit to of the Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, Claude Haagen. A chance for the minister to converse with the vintners and their representatives, and not least to lend a hand to the harvest himself.
With a comparatively early start in regards to previous years, the vintage of 2022 is predominantly defined by the heatwaves that persisted over the summer. Due to the high temperatures and lasting droughts, the grapes are overall smaller yet pampered by the sun, which promises a slightly reduced yield of propitious quality.
Overall, however, the winegrowers are satisfied with their vineyards this year, pointing to positive traits that this exceptional summer has brought upon their grapes. Low in acidity, sweet and fruity, the vintage promises wines of exceptional quality.
Nonetheless, if warm summers like the one we just had become the new norm due to climate change, winemakers will have to adapt accordingly to protect their vintages and livelihoods. Particularly the young grapevines, whose roots don’t quite reach the water sources deeper in the ground, suffered from the heat and drought this year. A prospect, that the ministry and vintners are already busy preparing for, to ensure the continuation of our prosperous wine region.
©Marc Dostert
