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2.33 million hectolitres of wine were harvested in Austria last year. The volume is seven per cent below the average of the past five years and eight per cent below the harvest volume of 2022. Overall, white wine in Austria fell by four per cent compared to 2022 and three per cent compared to the five-year average. For red wine, these figures are minus 15 and minus 13 per cent.
The harvest was particularly small in Styria, where the heavy rain and severe weather events in August led to losses of 17 per cent compared to 2022 and 19 per cent compared to the five-year average. The harvest in the southern Styria region was a fifth less than in 2022 and 14 per cent less than in Vulkanland Steiermark Winegrowing president Stefan Potzinger points out that 190,000 hectolitres were harvested in 2023, a third less than in 2011, but is optimistic in view of the quality and the trend towards white wines.
In Lower Austria, the harvest volume of 1.53 million hectolitres was five per cent below that of 2022 and four per cent below the five-year average. The 15 per cent decline in red wines was striking. With the exception of Wagram, all wine-growing regions harvested less than in the previous year. The wine-growing region of Thermenregion suffered the sharpest decline at 16 per cent.
Burgenland also harvested significantly less red wine, with a drop of 16 per cent. White wine only recorded a decline of five per cent. Overall, Burgenland recorded eleven per cent less than in 2022 and nine per cent less than in the past five years. In Vienna, volumes were down by 13 and ten per cent respectively.
Quality and Prädikat wines were less affected than simpler country wines and wines, with declines of three per cent for white wine and 13 per cent for red wine. Here, the volume of white wine was 24 per cent lower and red wine 37 per cent lower than in 2022, and 29 per cent lower overall. Österreich Wein Marketing (ÖWM) expects very good quality due to the beautiful autumn weather, especially for red wines. Ice wines could also be harvested in significant quantities.
(al / Source: Der Winzer; ÖWM)