Ahrtal Flood Catastrophe: How We Can Help

[Updated 9:36 GMT 5 August 2021]

As many of you know, during the night of Wednesday, 14 July 2021, the Ahr Valley received nearly double the rainfall that it normally receives for the entire month of July. The water level rose of the Ahr, a river that is normally not more than 10 feet wide in most places, to nearly 7 meters above normal. The consequences were catastrophic, with more than 100 deaths (and counting, many are still missing). The rail line through the valley, the Ahrtalbahn, has been nearly completely destroyed, with 7 bridges partially or completely gone. Roads have been washed away as well, making some towns on the Ahr unreachable except by helicopter. I think it’s safe to say that the extent of the damage to homes and livelihoods in the valley from the flooding is worse than that from World War II.

Most vintners on the Ahr now face an existential crisis. Cellars and equipment have been destroyed or floated away, bottle stores have been lost. Most vintners lost all of the 2020 vintage and much of 2019. See the excellent article by Valerie Kathawala in Trink Magazine for more information.

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How can we help?

A variety of places to donate have been established and individual vintners have also set up donation funds or the ability to purchase food-affected wine. Most are accessible primarily to those who can send funds to European bank accounts (i.e. with IBAN), but others use PayPal or GoFundMe. Regardless, the need for financial support for vintners on the Ahr is enormous. This page, which will be continually updated, lists the places you can give to support the production of wine on the Ahr at its most difficult time ever.

Update: I now indicate where direct donations [donation] are sought and where wine can be purchased [wine purchase] to support the Ahr vintners.

As a note: those without European bank accounts can easily use wise.com to convert other currencies and transfer funds to a European account. If you would like help transferring funds to any places listed below, please feel free to email me: david@rotweinjaeger.com.

All information here is provided as a service, but I assume no responsibility for incorrect information or for how any donations to the listed places will be used.

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Donations and wine purchases that benefit more than one vintner

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VDP: “Der Adler Hilft” [donation]

The VDP has established a fund that will be distributed to all vintners on the Ahr. The account information:

The subject line is important here so that the funds are routed to the appropriate purpose.

Update: The VDP has also only recently set up a PayPal account: deradlerhilft@paypal.de. This should make it easier for those who don’t have a European bank account to help.

I have also set up a GoFundMe account to take donations from those who are not able to send to a European bank account. All donations on or before 27 July will be sent to the VDP account above. Donations after 27 July will be sent to the “Ahr-A Wine Region needs Help e.V.” described below. Please contact me if you’d like more information.

Update: I have close the GoFundMe to further contributions, as direct PayPal contributions to the VDP is preferable.

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AHR – A wine region needs Help Rebuilding e.V. [donation]

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German Wine Institute [donation]

The German Wine Institute has established a fund to help vintners on the Ahr. All proceeds donated will benefit the vintners. For international transfers, please see the link.

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Fair ‘n Green

The sustainable wine production group Fair ‘n Green has established a donation fund to help personal and business members of their network. Please donate to:

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Bauern- und Winzerverband Rheinland-Nassau e.V. [donation]

The Farmer and Vintner Association of Rheinland-Nassau has established a donation fund. All proceeds go to help farmers and vintners in the norther part of Rheinland-Pfalz, with minimal bureaucratic hurdles.

Account: Spendenkonto des Bäuerlichen Hilfsfonds
Bank: Volksbank RheinAhrEifel
IBAN: DE46 5776 1591 0124 0807 01
BIC: GENODED1BNA
Subject: Starkregenkatastrophe

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Deutsche Raffeisenverband (DRV) and Deutsche Genossenschaften und Raiffeisenverband (DGRV) [donation]

The Deutsche Raffeisenverband and the Deutsche Genossenschaft-und-Raffeisenverband have established a donation fund to help Cooperatives affected by the flooding. Donations can be made to

Account: Raiffeisen-Stiftung
Bank: Volksbank Köln-Bonn
IBAN: DE 96 3806 0186 2101 1110 19
BIC: GENODED1BRS
Subject: Unwetterkatastrophe – Genossenschaften helfen

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Schulumberger/Segnitz [donation]

The wine distributor Sclumberger/Segnitz has established a donation fund. All proceeds will go to help vintners on the Ahr, particularly their partners Weingut Nelles (winery nearly fully destroyed) and Weingut Deutzerhof (with thankfully little damage). Donations can be made until 31 July 2021 to:

Account: Schlumberger & Segnitz Gruppe
IBAN: DE49 2802 0050 4600 3778 08
BIC: OLBODEH2XXX
Institut: Oldenburgische Landesbank AG
Subject: Nothilfe Ahr

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“flutwein” [wine purchase]

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4 Friends from Gesenheim [wine purchase]

Four friends who studied together at the Geisenheim Hochshule for Wine are offering a 6-pack (€ 75 including shipping) from 4 wineries in 3 different wine regions: Weingut Wind-Rabold (Pfalz), Weingut Freiberger oHG (Hessische Bergstrasse), Weingut Röhl (Rheinhessen), and Weingut Lauth & Sohn (Pfalz).

Send € 75 to

Account: “Hilfspaket für die Ahr”
Bank: VR Bank Südpfalz eG
IBAN: DE24 5486 2500 0605 5512 93
BIC: GENODE61SUW
Subject: <your name and address>

Be sure to include your name and address as the Subject (“Verwendungszweck”).

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Rieslinghaus Bernkastel and Julian Haart [wine purchase]

Rieslinghaus Berkastle is auctioning off a 3L bottle of 2018 Ohligsberg Riesling Kabinett from Julian Haart. Bidding ends tomorrow, 27 July at 9 pm Germany time. All proceeds go to the Bauern- und Winzerverband Rheinland-Nassau e.V. help fund. Bids only over this Facebook page.

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“#SOLIDA(H)RITÄT” [wine purchase]

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meiningers sommelier magazine “Somms helfen Ahr-Winzern” [wine purchase]

meiningers sommelier magazine has solicited donations of bottles from sommelier in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and is selling them in packets of 1, 3, or 6 bottles — each packet size has a price of €200 (including shipping). All proceeds will be distributed to vintners on the Ahr. For more information and to order, please see “sommeliers-helfen“.

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Moselwein Hilft [wine purchase]

A group of Mosel vintners is selling 6-packs of wine (€75 including shipping) from Schlossgut Liebieg, Weingut Karp-Schreiber, Weingut Harald Konrad Fehres, Weingut Generation Hoffmann, Dienhart Weine, Sektgut St. Laurentius, Weingut Rinke, Tiny Winery, Weingut Immich-Batterieberg , Weingut Alex Loersch, Weingut Andreas Roth, Weingut Heiden , Weingut Hain, Weingut Heinz Schneider, Auka, Weingut Kanzlerhof, Weingut Reiner Lautwein, Weingut Fritz Haag, Weingut Willi Haag, Weingut Schiffmann-Junk, Weingut Gustav Conrad, Weingut Hauth, Weingut Jungblut and Weingut Michael Lorscheider.

Simply send an email with your address (in Germany) to tinywinery2019@gmail.com to request a 6-pack. About 50 6-packs from a total of 250 are still available.

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Von Winning Sauvignon Blanc 228 [wine purchase]

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Weingut Tina Pfaffmann [wine purchase]

Weingut Tina Pfaffmann is offering 6-packs of her 2020 “Herzglück Riesling” for €65 including shipping. All proceeds are donated to victims of the flooding on the Ahr. Simple send an email to info@tina-pfaffmann.de to request a 6-pack.

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Donations and wine purchases that benefit individual vintners

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Weingut Erwin Riske (Dernau) [donation and wine purchase]

Weingut Erwin Riske is also selling bottles affected by the flood as “Hochwasser-Weine”, with a 1-2 month delivery time. This is also a great way to support them — buying these bottles now provides much-needed financial support.

See the full range of available “Hochwasser-Weine” here.

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Rotweingut Jean Stodden (Rech) [wine purchase]

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Weingut Klosterhof Gilles (Marienthal) [donation]

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Weingut Kriechel (Walporzheim) [wine purchase]

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Weingut Kurth (Ahrweiler) [wine purchase]

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Weingut Max Schell (Rech) [donation]

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Winzergenossenscahft Mayschos-Altenahr (Mayschoss) [donation and wine purchase]

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Weingut Nelles (Heimersheim) [donation and wine purchase]

In addition, direct contributions can be made to the winery through StartNext. For every contribution above €50, the Nelleses will send a bottle of their “Hochwasser” wine (within Europe).

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Weingut Peter Lingen (Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler) [donation and wine purchase]

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Weingut St Nepomuk (Rech) [donation]