Drought-stricken vintage: smaller quantity, but outstanding quality in winemaking

Due to the lack of rainfall, the berries of this year’s grape harvest grew smaller, but this smaller size resulted in brighter colors and a higher sugar content. These characteristics promise beautiful aromas and potentially excellent quality in the case of several grape varieties. The hot summer weather contributed to a more concentrated flavor of the berries, which can bring well-structured, fruity batches, especially for white wines.

However, in the case of red wines, excessive heat and lack of precipitation also present challenges. András Takler, the renowned winemaker of the Szekszárd wine region, said that the smaller size of the berries can result in wines with an alcohol content of up to 14-15%. This entails the danger that due to the excessive concentration of tannins, the wines may take on a rougher, more scratchy character, which can be at the expense of drinkability. However, according to Takler, if the winemakers work carefully and cautiously, this year’s vintage can even produce high-quality red wines.

Hungarian wine regions were affected by the drought throughout the country, but the extent of the impact was not uniform. The southern regions, such as the Szekszárd wine region, suffered particularly from the lack of rainfall: practically no significant rain fell since the beginning of the summer, which greatly affected the harvest. The result could be a 10-20% crop loss, but András Takler is optimistic, since according to him, “it’s in the deck that this year will be a good vintage.”

The success of the 2023 vintage will ultimately be determined by the expertise and attitude of the winemakers. The use of proper grape management and winemaking techniques will be key to ensure that the drought year not only results in challenges, but also excellent quality. According to the winemakers, if they work gently, 2024 can be a stellar vintage, bringing wines of outstanding quality to the table of wine consumers.