Post
Germany’s grape harvest underway
Grape harvest is underway in the Rhein Hessen wine growing region of Germany. Brownfield’s Cyndi Young is traveling with a group of agricultural journalists on a trip sponsored by BASF.
Verena Schottle, winemaker at Wisenmuhle Estate in Rheinland Pfalz, Germany said despite a long, cold winter with a wet and cold spring, she is optimistic about the harvest.
Unlike cereal grains and potatoes, a high yield isn’t necessarily a good thing. The quality, she said, is typically lower if the yield is high.
Hail and powdery mildew are 2 of Schottle’s biggest concerns. Fungicides are applied 8 to 10 times from May through August to protect the crop from mildews. As for hail, she said, crop insurance is very expensive and it is difficult to insure the entire vineyard.
Although Wisenmuhle uses pheromones for some insect control, don’t expect them to use biologics to control disease. During our tour, we passed the vineyard of a neighbor who is trying to meet demand for organically grown grapes. The leaves and grapes of the diseased plants were dying on the vines.
With 35 varieties of grapes grown on more than 457 acres, and 620 acres in cereal grains, potatoes, and sugarbeets, this estate is one of the largest in the region. Wisenmuhle has been in the Schilling family for 300 years and is now operated by the family’s 6th generation and located near Monsheim, Germany.
Add Comment