Encourage heightened domestic consumption of German wines requested by local vineyard farmers

Encourage nationwide consumption of domestic German wines appealed by vintners

The Zukunftsinitiative Deutscher Weinbau, a collective of German winemakers, has made an urgent appeal for increased domestic wine consumption to support the local wine industry. According to the association, a small shift in the ratio of domestic to imported wine could save thousands of existences, as many winemaking businesses may not survive another year of low prices.

Thomas Schaurer, the founder and chairman of the Zukunftsinitiative Deutscher Weinbau, emphasizes that their request for one more bottle of German wine per year is not about pity, but about preserving the wine industry in Germany. The current per capita annual wine consumption in Germany is 20 liters, with only 8 liters coming from German production.

The situation in the German wine industry is "dramatic," according to the association, with grape and bulk wine prices currently at only 40 to 60 cents per liter, far below production costs. Up to 50% of winemaking families in Germany could face economic ruin within weeks, the Zukunftsinitiative warns.

The association criticizes some wine-growing associations for attempting to downplay the existential threat facing the industry, claiming it's a crisis affecting more than just 20 to 30% of winemaking families. The Zukunftsinitiative Deutscher Weinbau wants to inform the public "openly and transparently about the existential challenges facing German wine growing."

However, the association is not just asking for increased alcohol consumption. Buying alcohol-free wine or grape juice also helps, they emphasize. The Zukunftsinitiative Deutscher Weinbau continues to emphasize the importance of supporting local winemaking businesses by consuming one more bottle of German wine per capita per year.

This shift, according to the Zukunftsinitiative, could help save and strengthen local winemaking businesses. The association is advocating for increased transparency about the challenges facing the German wine industry, aiming to raise awareness and encourage more Germans to support their local winemakers.