NEW GRAPE VARIETIES
The marketing of PIWI wine is characterized by various challenges.

Text: Christoph Kiefer, M.Sc. and Prof. Dr. Gergely Szolnoki, Hochschule Geisenheim University

Mushroom-resistant (PIWI) grape varieties are the next logical step towards sustainable cultivation within organic viticulture. Although PIWI grape varieties achieve economic and ecological advantages for winegrowers, fewer than three percent of German vineyards are planted with them. Other wine-growing countries such as France and Italy are registering increasing breeding successes, but the proportion of PIWIs in these countries is also at a low level. This mainly results from the lack of market acceptance by the consumer. Customer acceptance of these innovative grape varieties remains low despite the increased demand for sustainable food.

Within the VitiFIT, the team from Geisenheim examines the complete value chain of PIWI wines in order to better understand the attitudes and needs of producers, marketers and consumers. Based on this, a communication strategy is to be developed at the end of the project in order to establish PIWIs on the market in the long term.

This article analyzes the current market acceptance.

Source: Deutscher Weinbau 25-26 / 2020