Ice wine harvest in the past week

After it was already freezing cold during the night from January 12th to 13th, the required minus 7°C were reached the following night in Rheinhessen to harvest the frozen grapes. A total of 6 wineries in Rheinhessen were able to harvest Silvaner, Chardonnay, and Souvignier Gris grapes with at least 130 degrees Oechsle. In the context of climate change, with milder winters and increasingly earlier grape ripening, it is becoming more difficult to keep the grapes healthy until the first major frosts.

The press runs for hours here, and the winemakers must constantly monitor the must weight of the slowly thawing grapes, so they can close the valve to the fermentation tank in time before the concentration decreases. What makes these fine wines special is that this enormous residual sugar does not come across as overpowering, thanks to the fresh, concentrated fruit acidity. The noble sweet specialty is an important item on the wine list, particularly for export-oriented businesses. Interestingly, although the grapes were harvested in 2025, they are classified as part of the 2024 vintage.

Ice wine production always carries a risk. If the minimum required minus seven degrees Celsius do not occur by the end of January, it usually means a total loss for the winemakers.