Extreme Heat and Drought Threaten Vineyards: Vines on the Brink of Wilting, and Flash Rains Offer No Relief

Key facts:

• In early July 2025, prolonged drought and high temperatures pushed vineyards in the Czech Republic into a critical state, with vines in many locations on the brink of wilting and soil water reserves largely depleted.
• Daily maximum temperatures in Moravia were expected to reach up to 37 °C, and while a cold front could bring showers, forecasters warned the rain would be too localised and brief to break the drought. 
• Young plantings with shallow root systems are the most affected, and the drought threatens lower grape sugar content and reduced yields.

Starý Plzenec, 1 July 2025 – This summer is bringing winemakers an exceptional challenge. Prolonged drought and high temperatures have plunged vineyards into a critical state. In many locations, the vines are on the brink of wilting. Soil water reserves are largely depleted, and for now the only hope of saving the vineyards comes from local and very limited rainfall.

"The situation is truly serious," warns Petr Ptáček, Viticulture Manager of BOHEMIA SEKT, adding: "The soil is completely parched. Even where flash rains have come in some places, the water does not have time to soak into the deeper layers and quickly runs off. The vines get practically nothing out of it."

The Outlook for the Coming Days
According to the latest reports from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, yesterday we entered what is so far the hottest week of the year. The peak of the surge of hot, very dry air over Moravia and Silesia is expected on Thursday, when daytime highs could climb to as much as 37 °C. Overnight from Thursday into Friday, a cold front should arrive from the north-west, potentially bringing showers and thunderstorms to southern and south-eastern Moravia as well. Meteorologists warn, however, that the rainfall will be very localised and short-lived, and will therefore not fundamentally solve the drought.

The Fight Against Drought in the Vineyards
Drought hits young plantings with shallow root systems hardest, as they are more sensitive to weather fluctuations. It also has a major impact on productive vineyards. "When the roots at a depth of 50–70 cm find no moisture, the plant would rather slow its growth and invest its energy in saving its leaf area. This is later reflected in lower grape sugar content and a smaller yield," Ptáček explains.

Irrigation systems are still rather the exception in South Moravia. Where an installation is available, it has been running at full capacity for several days now. Sowing deep-rooting cover crop mixtures also helps, extending the time that moisture is retained in the soil – in practice by roughly five days. "It's a small advantage, but without follow-up rains it is not a solution," Ptáček concludes.