Wine production in Austria fell by 20% in 2024, to a total of 1.87 million hectoliters, new data from Statistics Austria has found.
Late frosts, summer drought, hailstones and heavy rainfall were some of the reasons cited for the drop-off in production, which led to Austria reporting its lowest wine output in 14 years.
The 2024 performance was 22% lower than the five-year average, Statistics Austria added.
Despite the reduced output, the country’s wine stock as of 31 July 2024 remained stable at 3.04 million hectoliters, aligning with the previous year’s level and exceeding the five-year average by 3%.
White and red wine production
White wine production reported a 22% decline on the previous year, to 1.29 million hectoliters, while red wine production was slightly less affected, representing a 13% decrease from 2023 and a 20% reduction compared to the five-year average.
All major wine-producing regions of Austria recorded lower output, with Lower Austria, the country’s largest wine region, producing 1.18 million hectoliters – a 23% drop from 2023 and a 24% decline compared to the five-year average.
The Kamptal and Wagram regions reported the largest reductions, with declines of 35% and 33%, respectively, while in Weinviertel, which accounts for about half of Lower Austria’s wine production, output fell by 19% to 694,600 hectoliters.
Burgenland produced 504,000 hectoliters, a 14% decrease from 2023, while Styria’s total wine production amounted to 159,200 hectoliters, a 16% decline from the previous year.
Styria was the only region to see red wine production drop more sharply than white wine, reporting a 24% decrease compared to 2023.
Finally, in Vienna, wine production reached 21,900 hectoliters, which equated to a 5% decline from 2023 and a 10% decrease compared to the five-year average.
Read more: What country is the biggest wine exporter in Europe?
Wine by type
‘With regard to wine products, 1.76 million hl of quality and superior quality wines (Qualitäts- und Prädikatswein) were available, 19% less than in 2023 and also 21% less than the five-year average,’ Statistics Austria said. ‘The production of white Qualitäts- und Prädikatswein was 21% lower than in 2023 at 1.23 million hl, and high-quality red wines were down 13% compared to the previous year at 525 600 hl.
‘The production of Wein/Landwein (table wine and wine without geographical label, including varietal wine and must) amounted to 86 800 hl, 35% lower than in 2023’. Read more here.
