Questionable Grape Harvesting Incident at Vineyard: Was the Unauthorized Picking an Unintentional Act?
In the heart of Germany's wine country, a mysterious wine theft has taken place in Rheinhessen, leaving two winemakers facing significant economic losses. The police in Worms are investigating the incident, with the perpetrators having made off with almost all the ripe Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc grapes from around 8,000 square meters of vineyards.
The current harvest season has been unusual, with the grapes being harvested unusually early. Riesling in core regions like the Rheingau and the Mosel are being harvested in mid-September, a month earlier than usual. This early harvest is due to the perfect development of the vines, which have grown without rot or sunburn, and the timely rainfall in July that gave the grapes strength.
Despite the setback, the wine industry remains optimistic about the upcoming vintage. According to Ernst Büscher, spokesman for the German Wine Institute, consumers can expect a very good vintage. The must weights are similar to those of exceptional vintages like 2003 and 2018. The ratio between acidity and fine fruit acids is perfect, making for a high-quality wine.
However, the industry is facing a wine surplus due to decreased wine sales and complaints about sales problems. This surplus, coupled with the desire to empty their cellars, makes it unlikely that the grape theft in Gundheim was intentional.
The winemakers are working diligently to get the remaining grapes into the cellar as healthy and as cool as possible. The ideal temperature for grapes to enter the cellar is cooler to allow for clarification and sediment settlement. Many wineries are harvesting at night to avoid damaging the grapes due to high temperatures.
The specific vineyard responsible for the alleged 'grape thief' has not been publicly identified. However, the police have suggested that the theft could have been a mistake due to the high stress of the current wine harvest. It occasionally happens that an employee of a liquor store makes a mistake in the vineyard and targets the wrong one, according to the German Wine Institute.
The police report that the perpetrators acted 'professionally and with considerable logistical effort.' At least one larger vehicle or several transport vehicles were likely used in the theft. The current harvest is being referred to as a 'turbo harvest' due to the recent rainfall, and it is not uncommon for a harvester to get lost, especially when working at night.
As the investigation continues, the winemakers in Rheinhessen are focusing on their work. There is still a bit of Riesling and Silvaner left to be harvested, and the industry is looking forward to a successful vintage despite the setbacks. The vineyards in Rheinhessen are usually neither marked nor labeled with the names of the wineries, making it difficult to identify the exact source of the stolen wine.
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