Harvests grapes in the northern region, patiently waiting for the ideal maturation of the wine.
In the heart of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, Weingut Rattey is gearing up for a promising wine season. The vineyard, known for its unique Federweißer harvest, covers approximately 25 hectares, making it one of the notable wine-growing sites in Northern Germany.
Stefan Schmidt, the vineyard manager, reports that the growth of the berries is very good this year. Schmidt expects a significantly larger harvest quantity than last year, with an estimated range of 100,000 to 120,000 liters. This would be a welcome change after the impact of three consecutive days of late frost at the end of April last year, which significantly affected the vineyard.
The Federweißer harvest at Weingut Rattey is not a large area or quantity compared to vineyards in other regions, but it is unique due to the water seeping through the upper sand layers and remaining in the clay soil, ensuring a longer plant supply. This unique geographical feature contributes to the distinct flavour profile of the Federweißer produced at the vineyard.
The actual wine harvest at Weingut Rattey is expected to start at the end of the first week of September or shortly thereafter. In addition to Federweißer, 16 different grape varieties, including white, red, and sparkling wine or Sec, are growing at the vineyard. Part of the repertoire at Weingut Rattey also includes de-alcoholized wine.
Verjus, the juice of unripe grapes, is also set to be harvested this week at Weingut Rattey. It is often used for salads and cocktails. Nationwide, about five to six million liters of Federweißer are sold each year.
While Weingut Rattey is making preparations for the upcoming harvest, other growing regions have already seen the start of the Federweißer season, according to the German Wine Institute (DWI). Despite the moisture during the berry growth period, with over 60 liters of rainfall in one weekend alone, the DWI reports that there has been less late frost this year compared to last year, with only one late frost at the beginning of May.
However, the largest vineyard in Northern Germany, located in Rattey (Mecklenburgische Seenplatte), is not explicitly named or detailed in the provided search results, and specific data on its expected harvest quantity and grape varieties for 2021 are not available. Northern Germany is generally not a major wine-producing region compared to areas like the Rhine Valley or Rhineland-Palatinate, which have extensive and historic vineyards.
The harvest is expected to last until mid to late October at Weingut Rattey, providing ample opportunity for visitors to experience the unique Federweißer and other wines produced at the vineyard.
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