The flood disaster that struck the Ahr region in late July has threatened many wine-growers with extinction: flooded offices, cellars and wine warehouses as well as destroyed machinery. However, the expressions of solidarity and the sense of community – also beyond borders – are impressive. Non-affected wine-growers from neighbouring regions immediately took off to lend a hand, machinery providers offer repairs at no charge or place rented equipment at their disposal, wine-growers from at home and abroad as well as retail representatives sell wine packages and donate the revenue in full or in part.
The website of the German Wine Institute provides an excellent overview of the current relief activities. At
www.germanwines.de appeal campaigns and accounts details for funds, contact persons for coordinated activities as well as numerous support initiatives by wine-producers, retailers, associations and organisations are listed. Donations from abroad are best made via the relevant account at Volksbank Mainz, which the DWI has opened especially for this purpose; use this link for detailed information:
https://www.germanwines.de/-help-for-wine-producers/Under the heading “SOLIDA(H)RITY” (
https://www.facebook.com/Weingut.St.Antony/) wine-growing estate St. Antony has initiated a relief campaign that is synonymous with the cross-border cooperation of the sector: a wine package with six bottles donated by vintners and wine dealers from all conceivable growing regions including France, Greece, Israel, Luxembourg, Austria and South Tyrol. Proceeds will go to the affected wine-growers along the Ahr river via the VDP initiative “Der Adler hilft e.V.” (the Grape Eagle helps). Within as little as 48 hours 10,000 sets were already sold online; demand continues to be so high that this campaign will enter its second round in early August. “This flood disaster and its consequences for humans and the wine-growing sector in the Ahr valley has touched us deeply. We want to show our solidarity and help out. To this end we are supporting the campaign of the St. Antony estate by means of a donation. This helps to finance the shipping costs of the wine sets,” says Michael Degen, Executive Director at Messe Düsseldorf, and responsible for ProWein, the leading international trade fair for the wines and spirits industry.
