Wine Must Harvest in Germany Exceeds Earlier Estimates
The grape must harvest in the 13 German wine-growing regions reached a total of 7.65 million hectolitres in 2025. This is around two per cent less than in the previous year, but is slightly higher than the estimate issued at the end of the harvest, which had put nationwide production at 7.3 million hectoliters.
This was announced by the German Wine Institute (DWI) following the publication of the final harvest results by the the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Compared to the harvest average of the last ten years, the decline was twelve per cent. According to DWI data, the last time a similarly small German wine must harvest was achieved was in the 2017 vintage, which produced 7.5 million hectolitres.
Exceptionally high grape ripeness
The wine qualities of the 2025 vintage are exceptionally good due to the unusually high grape ripeness. Although the grape berries were often smaller than usual last year, they were all the more aromatic and produced very concentrated and fruity wines," explained DWI spokesperson Ernst Büscher.
Strong September rainfall reduces yields
90 per cent of the significant drop in the nationwide harvest compared to the long-term average is due to smaller yields in the four largest German wine-growing regions of Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden and Württemberg. Smaller grape berries, below-average must yields and, above all, intensive grape selections following the heavy rainfall in mid-September led to a harvest shortfall of 17 per cent or around 378,000 hectolitres in the Pfalz alone compared to the 10-year average. Rheinhessen reported 207,000 hectolitres less must (-8 per cent), Baden minus 183,000 hectolitres (-16 per cent) and the Württemberger Weingärtner brought in 179,000 hectolitres (-19 per cent) less than the average of the last ten years. Wine producers in the Rheingau (-22 per cent) and on the Hessische Bergstrasse (-16 per cent) also suffered double-digit percentage decreases in harvest volume.
Significant growth after frost losses in the previous year
Many wine-growing regions that suffered greatly from the extreme late frost damage in the previous year can look forward to good yields in 2025. These include in particular the two eastern regions of Sachsen and Saale-Unstrut as well as the Ahr, which recorded triple-digit percentage increases in volume compared to 2024, and, at a slightly lower level, the Mosel, the Mittelrhein and Franken.
Wine must harvest 2025 in Germany
|
|
2025 |
2024 |
10-J. Mittel |
VÄ zu 2024 |
VÄ zu 10-J. Mittel |
|
Cultivation area |
hl |
hl |
hl |
% |
% |
|
Ahr |
34.000 |
16.000 |
36.000 |
113 |
-6 |
|
Baden |
997.000 |
954.000 |
1.180.000 |
5 |
-16 |
|
Franken |
382.000 |
314.000 |
410.000 |
22 |
-7 |
|
Hess. Bergstrasse |
26.000 |
24.000 |
31.000 |
8 |
-16 |
|
Mittelrhein |
21.000 |
16.000 |
25.000 |
31 |
-16 |
|
Mosel |
743.000 |
513.000 |
702.000 |
45 |
6 |
|
Nahe |
271.000 |
254.000 |
244.000 |
7 |
11 |
|
Pfalz |
1.871.000 |
2.229.000 |
2.249.000 |
-16 |
-17 |
|
Rheingau |
169.000 |
200.000 |
216.000 |
-16 |
-22 |
|
Rheinhessen |
2.306.000 |
2.609.000 |
2.513.000 |
-12 |
-8 |
|
Saale-Unstrut |
59.000 |
17.000 |
43.000 |
247 |
37 |
|
Sachsen |
30.000 |
7.000 |
24.000 |
329 |
25 |
|
Württemberg |
740.000 |
680.000 |
919.000 |
9 |
-19 |
|
Other |
16.000 |
9.000 |
- |
78 |
- |
|
Total |
7.664.000 |
7.842.000 |
8.700.000 |
-2 |
-12 |
Source: Federal Statistical Office, 30 March 2026
Additional information
Contact persons
-
Ernst Büscher
Press officer
