Is Germany’s ice wine production the latest victim of global warming?

For the first time in years (perhaps ever!), a warm winter in Germany has led to all German vineyards unable to produce the expensive and popular alcoholic drink known as ice wine.

Ice wine is a traditional German desert wine made from grapes which have been frozen whilst still on the vine. The process of freezing the water inside the grape, whilst leaving the sugars untouched, results in a very sweet and rich flavour.

As a result of the abnormally warm winter, not a single German vineyard has been able to produce the wine this year as the temperature did not drop low enough for the grapes to freeze.

Production volumes of ice wine has always been low, accounting for only 0.1% of total German wine production. It is this rarity of the product which justifies the relatively expensive prices.

Following the lack of harvest this year and uncertainty over future production as climates warm up around the world, it is expected that the price of ice wine will continue to rise as the product becomes even more scarce and difficult to produce.