Harvest Report 2020
"The wines will taste cooler than in other hot years".
The 2020 wine year, like the previous two years, was again characterized by a very warm summer in which our vineyards received very little rainfall. This resulted in a somewhat smaller crop, but one that produced wonderful concentration in the berries. The much cooler weather in the main ripening phase in September, brought a vibrant acidity that literally put the musts under tension. These characteristics will distinguish the 2020 wines with a style all their own.
The 2020 wine year, like the previous two years, was again characterized by a very warm summer in which our vineyards received very little rainfall. This resulted in a somewhat smaller crop, but one that produced wonderful concentration in the berries. The much cooler weather in the main ripening phase in September, brought a vibrant acidity that literally put the musts under tension. These characteristics will distinguish the 2020 wines with a style all their own.
For the 3rd year in a row, our vines had to manage with much less water supply, a circumstance that has the consequence that the root system is oriented even deeper into the rock. We have also made some adjustments to the soil in relation to the low rainfall and have thus been able to reduce water evaporation, significantly increase the water storage capacity of the soil and thus avoid "drought stress" for the vines.
The early adjustment to another year of extreme weather and the resulting reduction of defoliation in the grape zone, helped us to achieve significantly more freshness in the grapes through extended shading.
With a total of 18 harvest days, it was a record-breakingly fast autumn; thus, our team managed hand harvesting in just under 2.5 ha in only one day. Perfect berry ripeness at harvest time, a moderate alcohol content with great phenolic and fruit ripeness - long live the Middle Nahe!
The big difference in the Rieslings to the 2018/2019 vintages is the acidity charged with energy, which developed stably due to the more extreme day-night temperature differences, giving the vintage a special independence. Excitedly, we look forward to a vintage that, despite the heat, will produce a rather cool style with outstanding quality.