Overview

• Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer committed up to €1 million for a national promotion drive after meeting industry leaders and highlighted eased reporting rules, an extension of seasonal work to 90 days, and a planned cut to farm power taxes from 2026.
• Trade reporting indicates bulk wine prices have fallen to about €0.30, wineries may leave part of the 2025 crop unharvested, and nearly a third of businesses are at risk despite a high-quality harvest.
• The newly formed Zukunftsinitiative Deutscher Weinbau warned that up to half of winemaker families could face collapse within weeks, citing grape and bulk prices of €0.40 to €0.60 per liter that sit below production costs.
• Rhineland-Palatinate launched support including more than €3 million annually for marketing and urged federal adoption of EU tools such as a provisional planting stop, green harvesting, and distillation, with states set to coordinate at a November meeting in the Rheingau.
• Industry voices led by the VDP press for a tighter, export‑oriented profile as German wine’s domestic market share slips to 41 percent and a prominent tasting criticized many 2024 wines for harsh stylistic choices.