The winegrowers in the Elbe Valley are preparing for the harvest of a rare specialty: Early Sunday morning should be frosty enough to harvest grapes for ice wine. The weather forecast predicts severe night frost of around minus eight degrees from Saturday to Sunday.
The Drei Herren winery wants to set out on the Boselberg in Coswig for the traditional ice wine harvest. The helpers have to get up early for this. The harvest should begin at 4.30 a.m., when the grapes are almost completely frozen, the winery announced.
Ice wine harvest a "rare gift"
"A real ice wine harvest is now a rare gift," explained field manager Tom Tzschoppe. "Due to the increasingly warmer winters, the likelihood of us even reaching such temperatures is decreasing."
Proschwitz Castle has also left grapes hanging for the ice wine - and wants to harvest in Rottewitz on Sunday morning from 5.00 am to 8.00 am. It is the queen of grape varieties - Riesling, said operations manager Björn Probst. This is very suitable for ice wine due to its acidity potential.
Very small quantities are produced
A "very limited quantity" of the rarity is produced. "If we harvest 500 kilograms with a pressing level of less than 50 percent, we might end up with 200 liters," said Probst.
In contrast, all grapes have already been harvested regularly at the Schloss Wackerbarth state winery, said spokesman Martin Junge. Ice wine is always like a lottery - and this time they had decided against betting on the specialty. Only the trainees at the state winery have a small ice wine project. This would result in a few bottles.
No ice wine was produced in Saxony from the previous 2024 vintage. This was due to the poor harvest after frost damage in spring - the winegrowers had used the small quantities entirely for their quality wines.
Ice wine harvest requires frost
Ice wine is considered a rarity by wine connoisseurs. Cold temperatures of at least minus seven degrees are a prerequisite for its production. The frozen grapes are harvested and pressed immediately. The result is a high-quality, noble sweet wine.
An ice wine harvest must take place by February 28 of the respective harvest year. According to wine law, no more grapes may be used for ice wine production after this date, even if the temperatures are still suitable.
It is unusual for it to be frosty enough for an ice wine harvest as early as November, said the manager of Schloss Proschwitz. After the season ended with very changeable weather, this was very positive. Grapes did not last until January this time, said Probst.
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