Lower Saxony winemakers adapt to climate change with new grape varieties

Rising temperatures due to climate change are shifting viticulture patterns in northern Germany. In Lower Saxony, winemakers are increasingly turning to fungus-resistant grape varieties to adapt to changing conditions.

At the largest vineyard in the region, located in Himbergen-Groß Thondorf, winemaker Christian Wolfgang manages approximately seven hectares of land with 35,000 vines across ten different varieties. Winemaker Jan Alvermann, who operates the organic vegan winery Witt-Wein, reports that the Solaris variety is performing particularly well due to its fruitiness and resistance to fungus.

Alvermann, a former grain and potato farmer, transitioned to viticulture to find greater economic viability. While the business is growing and attracts significant local interest through wine festivals, the harvest remains labor-intensive and highly dependent on weather conditions, specifically the avoidance of heavy rain during the final stages of ripening.