Moselle harvest 30 percent higher than in 2019

The harvest in the Moselle growing region, at an estimated 810,000 hectolitres, was around 30 percent higher than in the previous year's low yield, when only 624,000 hectolitres were harvested. However, the results of the grape harvest varied greatly from region to region and locally, Moselwein e.V. reports in its 2020 harvest balance sheet: "The 2020 yield now lies between the results of 2018 and 2019 and is therefore back in a normal range for the region," sums up Rolf Haxel from Cochem, Chairman of Moselwein e.V. According to his information, around 8,700 hectares of vineyards are currently being cultivated in the Moselle wine-growing region. In 2020, the area under vines will be 8,498 hectares. The share of Riesling and Burgundy varieties in the yield area has increased in recent years, while Müller-Thurgau, Dornfelder and Kerner as well as other grape varieties have declined.

Haxel classifies the new vintage as "good to very good". The majority of the harvest is in the range of 70 to 90 degrees Oechsle. With an average yield of 95 hectolitres per hectare, the yield of the main Riesling grape variety was "satisfactory". Müller-Thurgau and Elbling, the second and third most common varieties in the region, also ensured well-filled cellars with an average yield of 110 hectolitres per hectare. The producers on the Moselle are "highly satisfied" with the quality of the Burgundy varieties, which average 90 degrees for Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir and 95 degrees Oechsle for Pinot Gris. However, the average yield of these varieties is lower at 80 to 85 hectolitres per hectare. 738.770 hectolitres, more than 90 percent of the total harvest, are white wines. The red wine varieties yielded 71,240 hectolitres, according to the estimate of the Mosel winegrowers' association.