German harvest set to be smallest since 2010

By Hamish Graham

Published: 22 October, 2025

According to trade body The German Wine Institute (DWI) this year’s harvest in Germany is predicted to total at 7.3m hls. This figure would make it the smallest grape harvest in the country since 2010 (7.1m hls).

This drop represents a -7% fall compared to 2024’s harvest, while also being down -16% when compared to the average harvest volume of the past 10 years (8.7ml hls).

The decline has been driven by a much-reduced harvest in Germany’s four largest wine-producing regions – Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden and Württemberg.

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Despite the volume decline, all 13 German wine growing regions are reporting strong quality due to unusually high grape ripeness. Although grapes were smaller, producers detail that wines will be more aromatic compared to last year’s, with concentrated, fruitier wines anticipated.

Looking at individual regions, Rheinhessen saw a -23% or 600,000hl drop in production compared to the 10-year average. The touted reasons driving this fall included smaller grape berries, below-average must yields, as well as intensive selections, following heavy mid-September rainfall in the region.

Elsewhere, Pfalz saw volumes reduce by 400,000hls (-18% compared to the 10 year mean) with Baden and Württemberg seeing declines of -15% and -22% by the same metric, respectively.

By contrast, the two eastern German wine producing regions – Sachsen and Saale-Unstrut, and the Ahr – saw impressive three-digit percentage increases in volume compared to last year’s harvest.

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