The Austrian winemakers have now taken stock of the 2024 vintage. Austrian Wine describes it as a “roller-coaster ride”. Frosts, hail storms and violent rain made the growing season challenging.
The harvest volume was small but the quality seems to please the producers, with white wines with good fruit, body, and balanced acidity.
The red wines, good coloured and concentrated, may well be one of the best years in the last few decades. The early arrival of warm spring temperatures prompted the vines to bud ahead of schedule. Late frosts struck some areas late April, causing damage mostly in low-lying vineyards but also in vineyards in the Kamptal and Wachau regions. The flowering period was also earlier than usual. Humid conditions during this time led to coulure, resulting in a reduced fruit set.
From June, the hot summer weather made for a speedy growth; some regions, however, again suffered some hail damage.
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