Positive balance

Early harvest, smaller grapes, but top quality

At the first stop at Hannah Wetschka in Jois. Here, too, the grape harvest was completed yesterday.

(Bild: Charlotte Titz)

Representatives of the Chamber of Agriculture and the wine industry were on a "harvest tour". While the harvest is still underway in the south, an initial assessment can already be made in the north.

The President of the Chamber of Agriculture Nikolaus Berlakovich, together with the Austrian Winegrowers' President Johannes Schmuckenschlager, the Burgenland Winegrowers' President Andreas Liegenfeld and Wein Burgenland Chairman Herbert Oschep, took a look at the current situation in the Burgenland wineries and the progress of the harvest. While the grape harvest is almost complete in the north, in southern Burgenland it is right in the middle.

Smaller fruits
The first stop on the trip was the Wetschka family's Agerlhof winery in Jois. Junior manager Hannah is currently the Austrian Wine Queen. Then we went to the Bayer-Erbhof winery in Donnerskirchen. The prolonged heat has contributed to the grapes being smaller. However, this does not detract from the quality. On the contrary.

Harmonious wines
"We can look forward to a ripe, harmonious vintage, which will perhaps be a little stronger in places," says winemaking president Schmuckenschlager. The red wine grapes in particular will naturally benefit from this. Full-bodied reds are expected.

The harvest in the north is almost complete, in the south it is right in the middle.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

Less harvest
In contrast to last year, however, the harvest volume is smaller due to the smaller size of the grapes. "We expect around 2 million hectoliters or less across Austria. In 2023, 2.33 million hectoliters could be produced," says Schmuckenschlager. Burgenland is also on trend here. In Burgenland, the harvest started two to three weeks earlier than normal and a top vintage is expected.

Supporting winegrowers
"However, the harvest volume of the approximately 2,480 Burgenland wineries will be around 20 percent less due to the weather," says winegrowing president Liegenfeld.

Wine is the flagship of Burgenland's agriculture, but like all other sectors, it is facing challenges. Measures are being discussed and proposals are being worked on right up to EU level. LK President Niki Berlakovich emphasizes: "We are working on measures to support local winegrowers."

And Wein-Burgenland Chairman Herbert Oschep adds: "The common goal is to develop Burgenland into the most attractive wine tourism region in Europe over the next few years. We are working on this."