Swiss winegrowers begin harvest in mid-August for first time

In some Swiss wine regions, grape-picking has already begun, an unprecedented development for mid-August. Keystone / Julien Grindat

Switzerland's grape harvest is set to be exceptionally early this year as prolonged drought and high temperatures accelerate ripening. In some regions, picking has already begun, an unprecedented development for mid-August.

“As strange as it may seem, we’re harvesting on August 15,” Aurèle Morf, owner of Cave Saint-Germain in Moutier, canton Jura, told Swiss public radio RTS on Saturday.

Morf said the harvest is running several weeks ahead of normal.

“In 2016, which was a particularly wet year, we finished on November 1. This year, I think we’ll be done by early or mid-September,” he said.

When Morf decided a few years ago to plant vines in Grandval, canton Bern, at an altitude of 620 metres, the idea initially met resistance.

“People said it was too high, that it wasn’t a lakeside location. There were fears the grapes would never ripen,” he recalled with a smile.

Adapting to climate change

Not all winegrowers in French-speaking Switzerland have started harvesting yet, but all are feeling the impact of this summer’s heat and water shortage.

In Cornaux, canton Neuchâtel, winegrower Quentin Divernois waters part of his vineyards daily, particularly plots with rocky soils.

“Here, the grapes are plump, unlike on other plots suffering from the drought,” he said. “Without irrigation, these vines would have withered.”

Elsewhere, some vineyards are coping better. In the Vully region, canton Fribourg, Pascal Matthey’s vines benefit from deep roots and deeper soils, making them more resilient to heat and drought.

“The berries are small and there are signs of water stress, which could produce slightly harsher wines,” Matthey said. Yields are also expected to be lower than last year.

The industry has been preparing for a warmer climate for several years. Divernois, for example, is testing different rootstocks to identify varieties that are better able to withstand drought.

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Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.