Reichensteiner

Reichensteiner was bred in 1939 by Prof. Dr. Heinrich Birk at the Geisenheim Research Institute in Germany's Rheingau, as part of the Geisenheim 318 breeding program. The variety carries the research designation Gm 18-92. Its primary parent is Müller-Thurgau, crossed with a hybrid of Madeleine Angevine and Calabreser Froehlich. The variety takes its name from Reichenstein Castle near Trechtingshausen in the Rheingau. It gained official plant variety protection and entered Germany's varieties register on February 10, 1978, with broader recognition following in the late 1970s.

• Bred 1939 at Geisenheim Research Institute by Prof. Dr. Heinrich Birk
• Research code: Gm 18-92; part of Geisenheim 318 breeding program
• Cross of Müller-Thurgau with Madeleine Angevine x Calabreser Froehlich
• Officially registered in Germany on February 10, 1978

Reichensteiner thrives in cool climates with shorter growing seasons, making it well suited to regions like England and New Zealand as well as its native Germany. It is an early to mid-ripening variety, typically harvested from late September to early October. The vine displays medium to strong vigor with early to mid-early budburst. Large, loose bunches provide natural resistance to rot, and the variety shows strong resistance to botrytis bunch rot, downy mildew, and powdery mildew. This disease resistance allows growers to leave fruit on the vine for extended periods, which is particularly useful for stretching limited late-harvest yields. It favors deep, rich, moist but well-drained loam and chalky soils with a neutral to slightly acidic pH.

• Early to mid-ripening; harvested late September to early October
• Large loose bunches give natural rot resistance; botrytis rarely an issue
• Thrives on deep, rich loam and chalky soils with neutral to slightly acidic pH
• High-yielding with strong vigor and early budburst

Reichensteiner produces light, delicate white wines with subtle floral and fruity aromas of green apple, pear, and citrus. Its defining characteristic in the winery is minimal acidity and a largely neutral flavor profile, which limits its appeal as a varietal wine. For this reason, it is most commonly used as a blending grape, as a base for sparkling wines, and in the production of süss-reserve (sweet reserve). It was a core grape in early Liebfraumilch and entry-level Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) wines. Its high sugar accumulation gives it useful must weights for base wine production, even if the resulting flavors lack the complexity of classic vinifera varieties.

• Flavor profile: green apple, pear, and citrus with subtle floral notes
• Low acidity and neutral palate make it better suited to blending than varietal bottlings
• Used for sparkling wine bases, blended whites, and süss-reserve production
• Core grape for early Liebfraumilch and entry-level QbA wines

Reichensteiner is grown in Germany, England, and New Zealand. As of 2022, Germany held just 43 hectares, while England recorded 67 hectares in 2023 and New Zealand had 72 hectares as of 2009. In England, the variety expanded rapidly during the 1980s, partly aided by European Economic Community grants. It reached a peak of 12.3% of total English vineyard plantings in 1999 before entering a sustained decline as growers shifted preference toward classic varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for sparkling wine production. This trajectory mirrors a broader industry movement away from productive but neutral hybrids toward vinifera varieties capable of producing more complex, age-worthy wines.

• Germany: 43 ha (2022); England: 67 ha (2023); New Zealand: 72 ha (2009)
• Peaked at 12.3% of English vineyard plantings in 1999
• English expansion in the 1980s was supported by EEC grants
• Decline driven by shift toward Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for English sparkling wine

Despite its commercial decline as a wine grape, Reichensteiner has contributed to the development of other varieties. It has been used as a parent in breeding programs that produced Mara, Garanoir, and Ehrenbreitsteiner. Its disease resistance traits, high yields, and adaptability to cool climates made it a useful genetic contributor, even as its direct importance in commercial viticulture has diminished.

• Used to breed Mara, Garanoir, and Ehrenbreitsteiner
• Disease resistance and cool-climate adaptability made it a useful breeding parent
• Interspecific hybrid with dominant Vitis vinifera parentage