High tension until the very last minute

Initially, everything went normally and according to plan. The mild spring and good water supply to the vines provided ideal growing conditions. Bud break followed in mid to late April and there were no late frosts. A promising start to the 2023 vintage. Warm and dry weather conditions prevailed during the flowering period in the first half of June, which had a favourable effect on the growth and development of the grapes. Despite the prolonged dry phase into July, the vines showed no signs of stress as they had a sufficient water supply. The berries thrived magnificently.

Then the weather changed drastically. A period of extreme heat was followed by heavy, persistent rainfall. As a result, the grapes were crushed as early as the beginning of September. The Burgundy varieties were particularly affected. Only through strict selection and a quick harvest were we able to harvest the few grapes that met our quality standards in September. As a result, the yields of Elbling, Pinot Blanc & Co. are naturally extremely low. For red wine lovers, on the other hand, 2023 is a sad vintage. Due to the insufficient ripening of the grapes as a result of the wet and cold midsummer, we unfortunately had to completely forego the production of red wine. 

The picture is quite different for Riesling. Here too, speed was of the essence during the harvest, but for different reasons: The warm, dry October allowed the berries to ripen in record time. The must weight increased significantly every day. We had to harvest quickly in individual vineyards in order to match the different ripening points and qualities. 

When the harvest ended on 18 October, the results could not have been more positive: optimally ripened grapes in all quality and flavour levels - from dry Gutsriesling to noble sweet Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, which with their exceptionally high must weights and peak extract and acidity levels are reminiscent of 1959 - the noble fungus Botrytis was in top form.

Compared to the three previous years, the 2023 appears somewhat riper and richer, but also more heterogeneous. The differences between the vineyards - the age of the vines also plays a role here - are even more striking this time. This also makes the 2023 a multi-layered, highly exciting vintage.