German vineyards have been devastated by some of the worst frosts the country has seen for 30 years. Temperatures dipped as low as -5C on the night of 3-4 May in areas including the Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Franken and Württemberg. The German Wine Institute (DWI) said it was too soon to assess the impact on the 2011 vintage, but local reports in Franken suggested up to half the crop could be lost in some areas, and in a few cases losses might be as high as 90% – with some comparing the situation to the 1981 vintage.