Despite all efforts after hours of frost at night in April, 2024 is not a good year for winegrowing in Saxony. "But everyone will be able to reap some kind of small harvest," says Felix Hößelbarth, Chairman of the Saxony Winegrowers' Association. The "green foliage" of the vineyards in the Elbe Valley belies the fact that there are "significantly fewer grapes on the vines than in normal years". This also applies to areas that the frost did not reach or that were protected by fire. "The bottom line is that we expect a very, very small harvest."
The head of the association reckons that only 20 to 30 percent of a normal harvest will end up in the cellars. And in addition to investing in the maintenance and care of the facilities for the next season, the harvest also means additional work. "There are years when everything comes together: late frosts, then too cold and wet weather at flowering time, which was very unfavorable for the grapes that had just sprouted," reports Hößelbarth. As a result, only some of the blossoms turned into berries.
