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The cultivation of fungus-resistant grape varieties (Piwis) continues to increase in Germany. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), their vineyard area rose to around 3,500 hectares in 2024. This corresponds to an increase of ten percent compared to the previous year and a share of 3.5 percent of the German vineyard area.
Particularly noteworthy, according to the German Wine Institute (DWI), is the growth of the white Piwi variety Souvignier Gris. It recorded the largest expansion among all grape varieties with an area increase of 208 hectares. With a total of around 600 hectares, it leads the list of Piwi grape varieties in Germany, followed by Cabernet Blanc with 335 hectares.
Some conventional grape varieties also managed to gain area, especially the white Burgundy varieties: Chardonnay (+138 ha), Pinot Blanc (+44 ha), and Pinot Gris (+32 ha) as well as Sauvignon Blanc (+52 ha). As red wine consumption continues to decline, the cultivation area of red grape varieties has further decreased. In 2024, the vineyard area of red varieties fell by 438 hectares to a total of 31,872 hectares, meaning that only 30.9 percent of German vineyards are planted with red wine varieties. Nevertheless, there are some varieties whose area is growing against this trend: The international red wine varieties Merlot (+30 ha) and Cabernet Sauvignon (+14 ha) were able to increase. Additionally, new resistant red wine varieties such as Pinotin (+10 ha) and Cabernet Cortis (+9 ha) also saw increases.
DWI Managing Director Monika Reule sees these developments as a clear response from German winemakers to the challenges of climate change. "The increases in the new robust grape varieties as well as in the southern varieties in the red wine sector show that German wine businesses are increasingly adapting to the changed climatic conditions," said Reule.
Overall, the total German vineyard area decreased slightly in 2024 for the first time since the approval of new plantings in 2016. The statistics show a decrease of 392 hectares (–0.4%) to a total of 103,295 hectares. The affected growing regions are Baden (–225 ha), Württemberg (–213 ha), Mosel (–95 ha), and Franken (–45 ha). An exception is Rheinhessen, which was able to further expand its position as the largest German wine-growing region with an increase of 171 hectares to a total of 27,671 hectares.
A particularly strong growth is evident in organic viticulture. According to surveys by the Agricultural Market Information Society (Ami), the organically managed vineyard area in Germany increased by 1,500 hectares in 2023 to a total of 15,300 hectares, representing an increase of eleven percent compared to the previous year. Thus, the share of certified organic viticulture in the total German vineyard area is now 15 percent.
(ru / DWI)
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