Overview

• The Deutsches Weininstitut says yields are roughly 10% under the ten-year average after an unusually early harvest and difficult late-season conditions.
• DWI now expects a total just under 8.0 million hectoliters, closely matching 2024’s 7.8 million, whereas Destatis had recently projected about 8.2 million based on data through September 20.
• Smaller berries reduced juice extraction, and heavy mid-September rainfall of up to about 100 liters per square meter forced rapid picking and the discarding of many grapes.
• Despite lower volumes, DWI reports very good ripeness and expects broadly promising wine quality from the vintage.
• The update lands as global wine output sits at a more than 60-year low, with the OIV citing climate-driven weather extremes and weaker consumption.