\n<\/p>\n
A cold snap in Germany has caused \u201cgreat damage\u201d to several winegrowing regions following higher temperatures in the first half of April, according to a trade body.<\/p>\n
Night-time temperatures have been dropping to lows of -5\u00b0C in the last two weeks in many winegrowing areas in Germany, Deutsches Weininstitut (DWV) said.<\/p>\n
The association said it was too early to fully assess the extent of the damage but some local producers are preparing to lose the majority of their crop.<\/p>\n
It added that German vines are on average two to four weeks ahead in their development due to hot weather in recent months and therefore the young budding shoots are freezing, and those that grow back may not be fertile.<\/p>\n
In Franconia, \u201cfrost damage varies greatly from region to region\u201d, DWV wrote. The Franconian Winegrowers Association expects that 50% of the areas throughout the region have been damaged, although to varying degrees.<\/p>\n
Wineries in Ipsheim, in the southern Steigerwald area of \u200b\u200bBad Kissingen and Karlstadt have been \u201cparticularly affected by the persistently frosty temperatures\u201d, where attempts were made to protect the vines with frost candles, according to DWV.<\/p>\n
Further north, Eisinger winery Otto Keller in Baden reported 99% damage due to night frost at -2.3\u00b0C. The Bischoff winery in Dietlingen estimates an area of around seven hectares was 80% to 90% damaged by the frost.<\/p>\n
Another winery Hessische Bergstra\u00dfe has seen \u201cmassive damage\u201d in the Gro\u00df-Umstadt area in particular, with night-time temperatures of -3.4\u00b0C. According to the Eltville wine-growing office, three vineyards around Gro\u00df-Umstadt are almost entirely damaged.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Mosel region is similarly suffering, with vintner Burens from Saarburg estimating that around 70% of his vineyards have been affected.<\/p>\n
Just Drinks<\/em> has contacted DWV for further comment.<\/p>\n Wine production in Germany dropped<\/a> by almost 4% last year, hit by weather conditions, according to government data.<\/p>\n According to figures from Germany\u2019s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) wine and must production fell by 3.9% to 8.6m hectolitres in 2023.<\/p>\n The agency blamed last year\u2019s drop on the weather. \u201cWinemakers were faced with challenging harvest conditions, which was one of the factors in lower wine production,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, Germany recorded an increase<\/a> in the value of its wine exports in 2023 but volumes fell, data from the German Wine Institute (DWI) indicated.<\/p>\n The value of German wine exports sat at \u20ac384m in 2023, up 4% year-on-year.<\/p>\n However, export volumes were down 2% at 1.15 million hectolitres.<\/p>\n “Cold snap causes \u201cgreat damage\u201d to German vineyards” was originally created and published by Just Drinks<\/a>, a GlobalData owned brand.<\/p>\n