German red wine producers seeing the benefits of climate change
Climate change has proved to be a silver lining for Germany’s red wine producers, enabling their development to an “extraordinary” level.
“Where once top Pinot Noir wines could only be made in spectacular years, now they can be made every year,” claimed Nicky Forrest of Wines of Germany in an interview in Harpers, pointing out that Germany is the third biggest grower of Pinot Noir in the world, making twice as much as New Zealand. It is also the biggest producer of Pinot Blanc in the world and the third biggest Pinot Gris producer.
“The Pinot varieties today stand for 28% of the entire vineyard surface in Germany, and soon the share will be more than 30%, whereas Riesling stands for only 23%; hence the term ‘Pinot Paradise'" said Forrest.
One of Germany’s largest export markets is the UK, and despite the looming spectre of Brexit, the country will will remain important to Germay. “I think it’s fair to say that everyone is concerned about a no deal Brexit and the impact it will have. The issues that are concerning for producers are partly logistical and around movement of stock and labelling for example. But of more concern are the strategic issues around the increased costs of doing business with the UK. "
A new wave of German producers dubbed Generation Riesling, are “smashing boundaries”, she continued, describing the country is a “crucible of experimentation” at the moment.
“Wines of Germany strives to find new and interesting ways of placing Germany’s contemporary wine makers in front of the ever thirsty UK wine buyers,” she said, adding that Riesling still dominates in the UK as far as German varietals are concerned.