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Harvest 2005 – Yield Forfeits bring Quality

The extremely variable weather challenged many vintners to their limits, but diligent vineyard management was rewarded in the end. The white wines of the new year are fruit-driven and precisely defined, displaying wonderful harmony. The reds are characterized by a sleek, charming “Austrian” bouquet and clear varietal expression, comprising wines which offer drinking pleasure in their youth. The desert wines display monumental intensity and impressively brilliant fruit. The harvest volume of 2.2 million hl is far below the long-term average and is the single bitter result in a year full of surprises.

Vineyard, copyright AWMB / Armin Faber

Vineyard Management: Viticultural Skills Decisive

Vineyard, © Austrian Wine / Armin Faber

Vineyard Management: Viticultural Skills Decisive

The challenging 2005 harvest began with slow flowering during a cool weather period and resulted in poor fruit set in many Austrian vineyards. The summer offered little reason for vintners to have high expectations and so all were pleasantly surprised by a satisfactory physiological ripeness. Precipitation set in at the beginning of August and was followed by a damp and cool September. Rot threatened the increasingly ripe grapes. Intense, diligent measures were necessary in the vineyard - green harvesting and conscientious canopy management - to achieve the desired ripeness. A drastic and welcome change of weather came on October 3rd and held for the entire month, providing an Indian summer that promoted sugar development in the grapes and a harvest of high quality.

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