Ehrenfelser is a white

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are ...

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry (botany), berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non-Climacteric (botany), climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of ...

variety of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

origin. It was created by Dr. Heinrich Birk (1898-1973) at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in 1929, by crossing

Riesling Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...

with what was thought at the time to be Silvaner, but DNA markers have since indicated it was the

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it ha ...

variety Knipperlé. Ehrenfelser was first grown primarily in the

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and Rheinhessen regions in Germany, however as is the case with most white German "new crosses", plantings within Germany have decreased considerably in recent years. In 2006, only of plantings remained,German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2007-2008
down from in 1999.German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2004-2005
Outside Germany, Ehrenfelser has found some success mainly in

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, in the

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. Wineries including Cedar Creek, Lake Breeze, Gray Monk, Gehringer Brothers, Mount Boucherie, Quails' Gate and Summerhill make both still and ice wine styles. There have also been smaller plantings in

Washington state Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washingto ...

and Canterbury,

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. Robert Irvine & Walter Clore, ''The Wine Project'', pg 435 Sketch Publications 1997 The grape tends to ripen earlier and produce higher yields than Riesling. The variety normally consistently produces grapes of at least Kabinett level ripeness and tends to produce well in vineyards where Riesling has difficulties.

Jancis Robinson Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, ComMA, MW (born 22 April 1950) is a British wine critic, journalist and wine writer. She currently writes a weekly column for the ''Financial Times'', and writes for her website JancisRobinson.com, updated daily. She ...

, ''Vines, Grapes & Wine'', pg 252 Octopus Publishing 1986 Ehrenfelser derives its name from the Burg Ehrenfels ruins located on the

Rhine The Rhine ; french: Rhin ; nl, Rijn ; wa, Rén ; li, Rien; rm, label=Sursilvan, Rein, rm, label=Sutsilvan and Surmiran, Ragn, rm, label=Rumantsch Grischun, Vallader and Puter, Rain; it, Reno ; gsw, Rhi(n), including in Alsatian dialect, Al ...

near Rüdesheim. It is also known under the synonym Geisenheim 9-93. Ehrenfelser was crossed with Reichensteiner to create Ehrenbreitsteiner.

References

{{reflist White wine grape varieties Rheingau