Viticulturists commence grape harvesting in the Saale-Unstrut-Region - Grape harvesters commence operations in the Saale-Unstrut area
The Saale-Unstrut wine-growing region in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia is gearing up for an exciting harvest season, with the majority of the vineyard area cultivated by the winemakers of the Winzervereinigung Freyburg-Unstrut. This agricultural cooperative currently consists of 322 winemakers who cultivate around 390 hectares of vineyards.
The winemakers have high expectations for this year's harvest, especially for the crisp-sweet Federweisser. The early-ripening white wine variety Solaris will be turned into Federweisser within three days of picking. In addition to Solaris, the harvest will include Bacchus, Müller-Thurgau, Portugieser, and Frühburgunder varieties.
The harvest for Federweisser has already started, with approximately 8 tons of grapes harvested from half a hectare in Zscheiplitz. The "Zscheiplitzer Himmelreich" vineyard, managed by the agricultural cooperative Gleina, is one of the sites where the grapes for Federweisser are being harvested.
Federweisser is a transitional stage between grape juice and finished wine, traditionally made in Germany for consumption during wine festivals before the main harvest. The juice obtained from the harvested grapes is mixed with yeast and bottled before fermentation is complete. This process allows Federweisser to continue fermenting in the bottle, giving it a cloudy appearance and the name Federweisser due to the small yeast particles resembling feathers.
The Winzervereinigung Freyburg-Unstrut estimates a harvest of about three million liters of Federweisser for this year. The last grapes are expected to be picked by the end of October, with the large harvest for the current vintage beginning on September 15, as reported.
As the harvest season continues, the winemakers of the Winzervereinigung Freyburg-Unstrut look forward to sharing their Federweisser with the public. The winemakers' festival in Freyburg is taking place this weekend, giving visitors the opportunity to taste the freshly made Federweisser and celebrate the start of the harvest season.
