Green Returns to the Vineyards

The first fresh green is always something very special in the vineyards. It marks the beginning of the new vintage in a way that’s visible to everyone and bathes the Rheinhessen vineyard hills in a completely different play of colors. Particularly noticeable now are the many unpruned vineyards, which already boast a full, lush green canopy. Despite the dryness of the past few weeks, the shoots are growing well — even in places where winegrowers would rather not see them: on the vine trunks. These unwanted shoots are currently being removed, and excess shoots on the bent canes are being thinned out as well. This work brings more light and air into the future leaf wall.

You can already clearly see this year’s new grape clusters, known in viticultural terms as “Gescheine.” These clusters allow a theoretical forecast of the 2025 yield. However, such predictions remain highly uncertain, as flowering and unpredictable weather events still pose many unknowns. In fact, the vineyards around Saulheim have already experienced a first hailstorm. On the positive side, the Ice Saints — those often cold nights between May 12 and 15 — have passed without incident.