Mosel growers expect a 610,000-hectoliter 2026 harvest, 18% below the decade average

Winegrowers in Germany’s Mosel region expect a smaller 2026 crop after a hot, dry growing season, even as producers reported strong grape quality and an unusually smooth harvest. On Tuesday, Moselwein e.V., the regional wine association, said current estimates for the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer areas point to production of about 610,000 hectoliters, down from 743,000 hectoliters in 2025 and about 18% below the average of the past 10 years.

The association gave that assessment after its autumn press briefing in Detzem. It said growers described the 2026 harvest as well managed and, in some cases, even “relaxed,” helped by a rain-free September that limited disease pressure and reduced the need for extensive sorting in the vineyards.

The final volume will not be known until spring, after all wineries and growers submit their official harvest declarations. For now, the estimate places the region below its recent average output of roughly 700,000 hectoliters. The 2024 harvest was much smaller, at 450,000 hectoliters.

Moselwein e.V. said 2026 also brought the earliest start to grape picking ever recorded in the region. By the end of August, growers were already harvesting grapes not only for Federweisser, the partially fermented young wine sold early in the season, but also for sparkling wine and still wine production. Most of the crop had been brought in by early October.

The smaller harvest was tied mainly to a lack of rainfall and high temperatures in the spring and summer of 2026. Younger vines were hit hardest, and some vineyards had to be irrigated. Older vines handled the dry conditions better and, according to the association, produced mostly small but highly aromatic berries. The same dry weather also brought one clear benefit: fungal diseases were limited, which helped preserve fruit health and lowered labor demands during harvest.

The region’s dominant grape remains Riesling, which accounts for 62% of plantings in the Mosel area. The Mosel winegrowers’ association estimates average Riesling yields at about 75 hectoliters per hectare in 2026. Pinot varieties were estimated at 60 to 70 hectoliters per hectare, while Mueller-Thurgau averaged about 90 hectoliters per hectare and Elbling about 100 hectoliters per hectare.

The productive vineyard area in the Mosel region totaled about 8,136 hectares in 2026, with an average yield of 75 hectoliters per hectare, according to the association. That figure excludes new plantings and young vineyards. Total planted vineyard area, including young vines, stood at 8,283 hectares at the end of 2025.

Henning Seibert, chairman of Moselwein e.V., said fears that record heat and drought in the summer would damage quality did not materialize. He said the 2026 vintage should be remembered for its high quality and that consumers can expect full-bodied, balanced wines.

For the drinks industry, the lower output matters beyond the vineyard. The Mosel is one of the best-known Riesling regions in the world, and a smaller crop could tighten availability for some still and sparkling wine programs, affect stock planning and shape price negotiations in the months ahead, even if the quality of the vintage remains strong.