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The Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of Viticulture, Volker Wissing, has again permitted the acidification of grapes, must, partially fermented grape must, young wine and wine of the 2018 vintage in all wine-growing regions of the state. Only ice wine is exempt from the regulation.

"With this early decision, I want to ensure that our winegrowing businesses have clarity before the harvest begins," Wissing said. Rhineland-Palatinate is the federal state with the most wine-growing regions: Ahr, Mittelrhein, Nahe, Mosel, Rheinhessen and Pfalz. Therefore, the release of acidification has a signal effect for other federal states.

The 2018 growing season in Rhineland-Palatinate was "characterised by above-average temperatures until the beginning of August", especially in the months of June, July and the beginning of August, the ministry writes. "This was accompanied - apart from local thunderstorm events - by extraordinarily low precipitation in large parts of the state. In addition, there was a heat wave lasting several weeks with daily maximum temperatures of 35° to 38° C over the entire area of Rhineland-Palatinate," it says in a statement. The high temperatures, combined with a constant hot wind, had caused high transpiration losses of the vines as well as a strong reduction of malic acid. These weather conditions, which deviated strongly from the long-term average, had led to an unusually early and strong decrease in acidity in the grapes, combined with a strong increase in pH values. According to Wissing, the ripeness measurements carried out on 7 August 2018 showed average acidity levels that were lower than the long-term average, with values between 5.2 and 8.0 g/L.

Ice wine is exempt from the regulation because it is "typically characterised by a pronounced natural acidity".

The exemption for acidification of must and wine thus almost becomes the rule: the ministry already granted permission in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011 and 2009.

(uka / Photo: German Wine Institute)

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