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Further increases in wine prices, more exports, but overall less turnover: This is what the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP) published with the report on the economic data of its members in 2021. According to the report, the total turnover of all VDP wine estates fell last year by almost four percent to 444 million euros. In 2020, it was still 462.5 million euros. In contrast, the export share rose to 21 percent, compared to 17 percent the year before. The main customers of the VDP wineries are Scandinavia - especially Denmark - as well as the USA and China.
79 percent of VDP wines were sold domestically in 2021. Almost all VDP wineries sell ex-farm, but there are "enormous differences, from 3 to 80 per cent sales share, everything can be found". On average, the share of farm-gate sales is 35 per cent. In addition, 82 percent of the wineries now have web shops, through which they sell 13 percent of their wines. 75 per cent of VDP wineries also work with external online retailers and market an average of ten per cent of total sales per winery through them. Special fillings in the entry-level range played an important role here.
The prices for local wines as well as for wines from first and great vineyards have increased further. According to the figures, the average price for local wines was 13.50 euros last year, compared to 13 euros in 2020. First sites cost 19.50 euros on average in 2021. In 2020, the price was 19 euros, in 2019 it was 17 euros. This corresponds to an increase of 15 per cent in the past two years. Wines from Große Lagen were available for an average of 36 euros, which corresponds to an increase of around nine percent since 2019. Estate wine prices remained unchanged and continued to cost an average of around ten euros.
According to the report, organic production is becoming more and more important among VDP wineries. Around 35 percent of the total 5,621 ha of vineyards were cultivated organically in 2021. The VDP expects "a strong upward trend", as many wineries are currently in the conversion phase.
(uka / Photo: VDP)