New Data: German Wineries Become Bigger (but Remain Small by International Standards), Germany

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, (90 hectares) and Peter Schmitz, Weingut Weingut Schmitz-Herges (1,7 hectares)

See:
Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany 
Wining in Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley: Wine Tavern “Spitzhaeuschen”, Germany

Recent data released by the German Wine Institute (DWI) indicate that the number of winemakers (in term of grape producers) fell from 29,200 to 18,700 winemakers during the period 2003 to 2013, while the total vineyard area in Germany of around 100,000 hectares remained unchanged. Thus, over this period, we end up with fewer, but larger winemakers.

This concentration process is almost exclusively due to the fact that many of the smallest winemakers (with less than 1 hectare of vineyard) sold their land to other producers (typically with more than 5 hectares). As a result, the share of winemakers with more than 5 hectares of vineyard increased from 20 to 32 percent, while the share of the winemakers with less than 1 hectare fell from 43 to 27 percent.

Picture: Share of Winemakers, Grouped by Size, in Total Winemakers

Picture: Share of Winemakers, Grouped by Size, in Total Vineyard Area

The group of winemakers with more than 5 hectares now account for 78 percent of the total German vineyards, up from 66 percent in 2003. The average winery size in this group of is now 12.9 hectares. This is small in an international context.

All other groups show a declinging trend: 3 to 5 hectares: - 3 percentage points; 2 to 3 hectares: - 1 percentage point: 1 to 2 hectares: - 2 percentage points; and less than 2 hectare: - 4 percentage points.

Note: These data define the size of a winemaker not by the number of cases of wine he or she makes, but by the size of the vineyard area he or she owns. This reflects the Old World style of winemaking. Except for the mass wine producers, grape growing in the vineyard and winemaking in the cellar are in the same hands. The practice of buying grapes from others to make wine is the exception rather than the rule.

The 50 Largest Winemakers in Germany

For a list of the 50 Largest Winemakers in Germany, as of 2012, go here: The 50 Largest Winemakers in Germany. The list was compiled by reknowned German wine journalist Mario Scheuermann.

Government Involvement

The government, at various levels, is an important producer of wine in Germany. For a review of how much the government is involved in making wine in Germany, go here: The Role of Government - Government Owned Wineries in Germany

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