1982: The crisis

The wine economy was in good shape after the second world war. The surface area for growing grapes increased, production was industrialized and harvests were good. But at the start of the 1980s an over-production crisis caused a setback. The 1982 and 1983 harvests were very abundant, causing prices to drop, with excess stocks – the financial cost for wineries was enormous. The entire viticultural world was shaken by the crisis, prompting serious questioning about the way it worked.

Green harvest to limit yield and guarantee good quality wines. Photo MVVV J Margelisch