A late frost during the 2012 harvest has left Austria with "a critically low quantity" of its signature grape variety, Grüner Veltliner.
The country is experiencing a "white wine shortage" leading to rising wine prices because of a severe frost in late May, which badly affected the country's largest Grüner Veltliner region, Niederösterreich. It normally harvests the equivalent of 1.6 million hectoliters of wine but 2012's total was just 1.1 million hL.
"Austrian wine is no longer available at a cheap price," said Willi Klinger, general manager of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. However, "our winemakers have been able to convince consumers at home and abroad that their quality wines deserve a fair price. And this is vital for the future of viniculture in our country because of the local cost structure."
Indeed, during 2012, reduced supply resulted in higher prices for Austria's bulk and bottled wines, but rising prices did not affect volumes sold. Exports actually increased by 1.5 percent to 46 million liters, while revenue grew by 2.25 percent to 128.5 million euros or $170.8 million (Statistik Austria).
Germany remains Austria's most important export market, representing 60 percent of all sales by value. Neighboring Switzerland is the second-largest importer of Austrian wine, followed by the United States.
The 2012 harvest produced 2.1 million hectoliters of wine, 400,000 hectoliters lower than Austria's five-year average.
