Activity on the bulk wine and grape markets in January occurred mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, now that picking of its new 2023 vintage is underway and crop expectations begin to influence buying and selling behaviour.
South Africa's wine industry has long oscillated between cheap bulk wine and excellent top wines. Crises and successes seem to constantly accompany the South Africans. Clemens Gerke reports.
World wine production in 2022 is again expected to be slightly below average, with differences between the individual winegrowing zones and countries. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) forecasts global production of between 257.5 and 262.3m. hl of wine and must in 2022. There will be regional differences in harvest volumes, but the market surplus will remain (see HERE). Vincent Messmer reports.
As 2022 draws to a close, most grapes have been harvested, except for a few late-maturing exceptions. Despite below-average quantities overall, the surplus remains a problem.
Already at the beginning of the harvest, the President of the Austrian Winegrowers' Association, Johannes Schmuckenschlager, had forecast a promising vintage with a slightly below-average harvest quantity.
Winegrowers satisfied with quantity and quality: According to the latest estimates of 24 October, about 9m hl of wine and must were harvested in the Germany in 2022, about 2% more than the 10-year average and 6% more than in the previous year.
The latest harvest estimates on 1 October confirmed production of 44.6m hl. Compared to the very small 2021 crop, this means an increase of 18% - close to the 5-year average.
It’s got a wine-growing history that dates back to the Roman world. It’s got more than 220 authorised grape varieties over 55,000 hectares of vineyards, and it’s one of the most exciting wine-growing countries in Europe.
