Germany expects smallest harvest in 25 years

The 2010 vintage in Germany is expected to be the smallest in 25 years at 7 million hectolitres, and down 25% on the previous year. The German Wine Institute say the drop in production was mainly due to difficult weather conditions. Temperatures were unusually low at the crucial time of flowering, vines suffered damage to the cold and humidity during August and to top it all hailstones destroyed crops at harvest time. The reduced crop could see prices rising for German wines but not enough to offset the lower quantities of wine produced. In Europe the total harvest is estimated at 165.5 million hectolitres down 6% compared to the 5 year average.