Global demand for Riesling outstrips supply

[Don Giovanni]

Global demand for Riesling outstrips supply

Click On Me

In the USA, the value of German wine sales has risen by 27.2% over the last year and the volume by 15.6%. The rise in demand, coupled with a series of lower than average harvest yields means that many producers have little of the acclaimed 2006 vintage left to sell. However, prices are expected to stabilise this year, with winemakers predicting a good quality and larger-yielding harvest in 2007.

This was a no-brainer...

Edited September 4, 2007 by Don Giovanni (log)

[Cole Danehower]

A few more interesting Riesling supply facts that I dug up for an article I recently wrote:

Washington's Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the world's largest single producer of Riesling (according to the company), with 2006 production of 868,000 cases for all their brands: Chateau Ste. Michelle (713,500 cases total), Columbia Crest, and Snoqualmie. Also, the company accounts for 30% of all domestic riesling.

At their recent Riesling Rendezvous, where around 200 rieslings were poured by producers from all over the world, it was mentioned that Ste. Michelle's $8.99 Columbia Valley Riesling was the best selling in the US.

Who knew?

-Cole

[Brad Ballinger]

Well, it took long enough for German Riesling wines to be "discovered." I'm just glad I have cases of 2001 Mosel and 2002 Pfalz wines in the cellar. Next there will be a run on Loire's 2005 vintage. Then what will I do?

[MaxH]

Well, it took long enough for German Riesling wines to be "discovered."  I'm just glad I have cases of 2001 Mosel and 2002 Pfalz wines in the cellar.  Next there will be a run on Loire's 2005 vintage.  Then what will I do?

Pull up the drawbridge, Brad.

From the late 1990s, artisanal German producers were blessed with an extraordinary string of good vintages and many of these producers were practically giving the wine away. (Except a few that got noticed by the points critics, thus removing those wines as good values.) I was ordering extra dozens just because excellent Kabinetts at $8-$9 in the US seemed absurd to pass up, and after all they go so well with so many foods (is that part of the story now out too, or still overlooked?)

I'll trade you some good ones if you have any white Burgs. (I also have a strategic reserve of single malts from good producers, accumulated against the time when some of them become hard to get because the distillers go through those multi-year shutdown perionds that they do.)