2019

An Autumn of Envy

Hope and uncertainty for winegrowers

Our Kiedrich hillside vineyards once again shine

 

2018 will be remembered for the warmest growth period on record, but 2019 had its own very hot and especially

parched tale to tell.

Above-average temperatures and warm, dry soils at the beginning of the year led to a very early budbreak –

arriving before April was even halfway done.

An unusually cold May then put the brakes on this 2-week head start and flowering ultimately ended in

mid-June, roughly in line with the long-term average.

Despite the drought, the vines developed well over the course of the hot summer and veraison for our Riesling

fruit began in mid-August, almost a week ahead of statistical expectations.

Development picked up momentum rapidly thanks to the truly stunning weather of late August and September

and the general good water retention in our Kiedrich sites. Despite the drought, our vineyards remained in

beautiful shape right up through harvest.

A wonderful ripening period rewarded us with optimally healthy and intensely delicious grapes, and a harvest

in phenomenal weather starting in the second half of September.

Any winemaker would have rejoiced at our cull of Gutswein (estate) and Ortswein (village) Rieslings. Yet the

2019 vintage will go down in history as an Autumn of Envy, as harvest yields varied greatly from location to

location, with some estates only able to bring in half of their anticipated volumes.

Our yields here at Weingut Robert Weil fortunately stood only a few percentage points below the annual

average, but in uniformly phenomenal quality: Gutswein and Ortswein are fantastic ... The dry single

vineyard Lagenwein are stunning ... The naturally sweet Kabinett and Spätlese wines are incredibly

beautiful ... And although extremely small in quantity, the noble sweet specialties are a dream ...

Must weights for the Trockenbeerenauslese running up to 209 °Oe, with outstanding acidity and

pressed from the very finest berries.

Looking back, 2019 was certainly a demanding vintage. Yet it was also one that rewarded our constant

labors in the vineyard with stunning, healthy and high-quality fruit – the foundation for long-lived wines

guaranteed to grace cellars for many years to come.

As always, we owe our success to the incredible quality of the Kiedrich hillside sites and the remarkable

hard work of our highly motivated Weil Team!