Private winemakers were invited to a New Year’s reception on Tuesday evening and expressed broad approval of the CSV–DP government’s measures, particularly those introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture.
However, one recent campaign is causing more concern than a poor Crémant.
They do not participate in Dry January: private winemakers in Ahn raised a glass of Crémant to toast the New Year. The government’s campaign encouraging people to abstain completely from alcohol during January has not been well received by private winemakers, echoing criticism voiced by Domaines Vinsmoselle and the hospitality sector.
Guy Krier, president of the association of private winemakers, explains: “People must understand that, as producers, we cannot be happy about this. Wine is a cultural product. Humans have been producing wine for over 8,000 years. Its consumption has not harmed anyone in recent years, when done in moderation.”
The Ministries of Agriculture and Tourism actively promote enotourism – tourism centred around wine – while the Ministry of Health advocates for abstinence from alcohol. For winemakers, this sends contradictory signals. Guy Krier regrets this inconsistency, especially as the sector has largely been satisfied with the government’s overall policies: “We have made progress on construction in green zones. In terms of labour regulations, procedures have been simplified, particularly for seasonal workers. And we now have a sanitary allowance for landowners who continue to maintain their vineyards even after they are no longer cultivated. That is important.”
Succession is less of an issue for private winemakers than it is for the Domaines Vinsmoselle cooperative. When the previous generation has managed the estate well, younger family members are often willing to take over. Numerous examples illustrate this, including siblings Nicolas and Mathieu Schmit from Ahn, who joined the business one after the other and have jointly carried full responsibility for it since 2021.
“Our main motivation was being able to produce the wine from start to finish. We put our heart and soul into it – that’s what drives us as winemakers. Sharing the moment when we taste the final product together with our customers is also very important to us”, emphasises Mathieu Schmit.
The administrative workload is considerable, and as winemakers, it is difficult to clearly separate work from private life. All independent producers face the same challenges. As a result, despite a degree of competition, they are stronger when working together. Some members will soon travel to northern Italy and Slovenia to gather fresh ideas. Overall, the private winemakers’ agenda is already well packed for 2026.
