Image: (APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)
The amount should level off at around 2.3 million hectoliters, reported the President of the Austrian Winegrowers’ Association, Johannes Schmuckenschlager, at a press conference on Monday.
The ÖVP parliamentarian cited problems with fungal infections and heavy downpours during the flowering period as reasons for the comparatively lower yield.
The wine year was determined by a very changeable weather pattern. The start went well with a dry and cool spring and late budding in April, as this averted the risk of late frost damage, said Schmuckenschlager. The onset of the warm phase in summer then helped the vines to grow strongly, and most of the time there was no damage from drought. However, difficulties arose for some companies due to extreme weather events and the associated hailstorm, especially in Styria.
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In some regions, increased downpours prevented the full bloom, which resulted in failures. However, the total volume is only slightly influenced by this. Most of the change compared to previous years is due to fungal diseases, which would also cause headaches for winegrowers in other countries such as France. According to Statistics Austria, 2.53 million hectoliters of wine were harvested last year, the five-year average (2018-2022) is 2.49 million hectoliters according to data from the Chamber of Agriculture (LKÖ).
Video: Winegrowers take stock:
The weather forecast for the coming weeks is edifying, as stable conditions for the vines and thus ideal conditions for the selection can be expected. The grape harvest for Sturm und Most has already started in some places, and the main harvest should then take place at the end of September or in the first weeks of October. According to Schmuckenschlager, thanks to a good acid structure and sugar formation in the grapes, full-bodied and powerful wines can be expected – so the vintage promises one or two fine wines for wine lovers.
Schmuckenschlager complained that there was pressure on the winegrowers due to the still high production costs. Especially in the free market, which accounts for about 10 percent of the total market in Austria, this is noticeable for the producers, since the customers insist on low prices. However, he does not expect any significant price increases for consumers as a result, even if the price situation on the market is tense.
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