Andreas Jung is a very extraordinary person, a grape archaeologist really. He hunts for ancient 'lost' varieties all over Germany and has unearthed hundreds lurking in corners of vineyards, on terasses and against ancient inaccessible walls. Here we reproduce a fascinating if no longer current plea he made for the rescue of such varieties and an update following an outcome which seems briefly to have been successful. We have heard on the grapevine as it were that the wine made from Orleans Gelb was not a great success (too acidic) and so the sponsorship scheme may have come to an end.
The Grape Variety
authority Andreas Jung asks for donations for the rescue of the South
Pfalz Vineyard.
History
When I mapped 34
grape varieties in my first old vineyard on the Badische Bergstrasse
in 2002 it was considered a scientific sensation. Nobody had imagined
that such a treasure of native grape varieties and clones could have
been found in the age-old and, despite Phylloxera, ungrafted
vineyards. Following the Phylloxera crisis and government
restrictions in plant-breeding, there are today 26 classical
varieties. Until 2005 I had been working in 8 vineyards more or less
nearby. The state grape breeders showed interest above all for
already classified and hence commercially interesting grape varieties
such as Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot. In the German gene bank after
almost a century, the first ones I discovered – virus-free Heunisch
and Pflanzscheere - were planted. I had recorded this in several
scientific publications. In 2005 my third contract ran out. That was
the end of it as far as the state breeders were concerned. They went
back to their new cultivars and to the selection of commercial clones
of Riesling and Pinot Noir. Continuing the collection of native grape
varieties would have required significantly more expenditure on
research, selection and maintenance. Only from 5 vineyards were a few
of the old variety clones I had identified duplicated for the gene
bank collection.
Because there are
not even 10 experts in the whole of Europe who can identify historic
grape varieties in old vineyards, I led the search for old vineyards
and varieties on my own account. Since I was entrusted by the BMELV
(Federal Minsitery of Food and Agriculture) with the task of taking
in hand Germany’s genetic grape resources (2007 – 2009) I have
been a recognised grape variety expert throughout Germany and was
also active in Switzerland and Poland. In Germany alone I have
rediscovered around 250 old varieties of which 88 were already
extinct or which according to dogma were not supposed to exist at
all. In recent years I have inspected more than 1000 sites in Germany
and detected over 360 varieties. Unfortunately the national
commission has been limited to investigations in the field. My 230 -
page status report has vanished in the Ministery’s drawers. Top
Secret. Under pressure to make quick progress in getting to the root
of this matter I have taken on the responsibility at my own cost for
the selection, collection, virus-screening and propagation of our
cultural heritage of varieties and most important clones. Meanwhile I
have planted around 1.5 ha. to old country varieties in my capacity
as a scientist and private grape breeder together with committed
producers which has brought me the reputation of Rescuer of the
nation’s grape varieties. In contrast with the state grape variety
gene bank I don’t content myself with 3 examples of each biotype
whose pollen might be used for making crossings of new
super-varieties one day maybe. My concern is the continuation of the
wine-growing heritage of the last millenium in order to spread the
lasting good practise for the preservation of ancient, in part
antique grape varieties which up to the Phylloxera plague of 1928
were still widespread all over in mixed parcels, forbidden by the
Phylloxera commission and national-socialist eugenicists and since
then mistrusted and forgotten by breeders and bureaucrats. The clonal
differences in old varieties is enormous. Up to the invention of
grape-variety classification there were no principal class
differences in the vineyard. 42 grape varieties out of 800 vines were
not a rarity on the Bergstrasse. The monoculture of varieties is too
risky. For the German-speaking area between the 18th and
19th centuries at the end of the little ice age and before
the appearance of Phylloxera in total about 650 varieties of wine and
dessert grapes were apparent. And so, bureaucrats apart, there are no
grounds not to plant the old varieties in suitable locations again.
They have after all survived several periods of warming and cooling.
For this purpose however the varieties have to be in as practical and
virus-free condition as possible and kept in as much clonal diversity
as they can. Had I not done this practical breeding work of native
varieties no one else would have collected these kinds. A section of
the recently re-discovered varieties would have already died out
again. Despite state finance the state breeders concentrate on
commercially bred clones of a dozen classic grape varieties. Up to
2009 I have demonstrated 82 native varieties on the Bergstrasse alone
in 42 locations, a third of which were grubbed up for reasons of age
or abandoned.
The South Pfalz
vineyard.
Back in 2005 there
were 18 vineyards which I mapped in the summer of 2005 and from which
I selected from rare varieties and clones. In a winter’s week in
January 2006 I made cuttings from the vines I had identified and
selected for propagation in a vine nursery. These varieties were
grafted and, with government permission, planted in 2007, they now
stand in the South Pfalz vineyard on 24 ar. A young producer had
already declared himself ready to tend this collection of Bergstrasse
varieties and clones under my care as a nurseryman and to make wine.
As support a sponsorship model was developed and sponsors were gained
for the clones we had to hand. For the maintenance work supported by
annual subsidy, they received a few bottles of wine from the
vineyard. With the help of the sponsors and a not inconsiderable
effort in time and work the project has up to now developed well and
paid for itself.
In the vineyard are
1185 vines of which there are 237 clones (5 for each kind of vine) of
around 45 varieties planted on the Badische Bergstrasse. Among these
we find already extinct varieties like Fuetterer and Kleinedel, which
were grubbed up from their original location shortly after being
re-re-discovered and would have died out again had I not promptly
collected them shortly after rediscovering them. A few old country
varieties like Ortlieber, Honigler, Heunisch, Weisser Tokayer,
Laemmerschwanz, Gelbe Seidentraube, Fitzrebe, Roter and Rot-Weisser
Veltliner, Bettlertraube, Blauer Blank, Blauer Elbling, Primitivo,
Affenthaler, or Blauer Heunisch have been collected in the South
Pfalz vineyard with several Bergstrasse clones. I have also collected
some clones from particularly old vines of classic varieties among
which are Roter and Weisser Elbling, Silvaner, Auxerrois, Riesling
Chasselas or of Rot and Gelbholziger Trollinger. All the varieties
are native to Germany and very old. Before classification, Auxerrois
was called Kleiner Heunisch and must have been planted on the
Bergstrasse since the middle ages. The difference between classified
and unclassified varieties is only a bureacratic one but today the
bureaucrats, decide on the basis of partially absurd law on the
continued existence or extinction of native varieties.
Without professional
care, no vineyards.
Now the producer has
told me surprisingly that cannot continue the vineyard work with
immediate effect for health reasons. In addition it happens that the
vineyard has been damaged by a late frost and a regular crop this
autumn cannot be expected. The future of the South Pfalz vineyard and
the long-term preservation and maintenance of the clones and
Bergstrasse sites concentrated in that place is now crucial.
The rescue plan
First of all the
plant protection must be carried out through subcontracted labour. In
addition there is an outstanding bill for grafted vines intended to
fill the gaps and then the vineyard must be newly leased . A producer
who will spray the vineyard up to autumn has already been found. Up
to the winter the financial requirement is at least 1,500 Euros to
pay the pending bills, the plant protection and the lease. There will
not be much to harvest.
I have decided to
take the lease on the vineyard myself and to continue as best I can.
The lease has actually not been signed yet. The vineyard was however
a family property. As a scientist I don’t possess the tools to work
the vines and ground mechanically so this must be commissioned
contractually. As the new lessee, I will carry out the manual labour
such as pruning and tying back. Then we will have to see if the
subsidy model can be continued as previously, but everything depends
on whether the lease can be for a reasonable length of time and how
many sponsors can be brought on board. In the case of emergency the
vineyard will have to be duplicated next winter and replanted on
another site. That would cost 5,000 Euros just for the production of
new plant material and would not include labour. This requires a new
site and a new winemaker as well.
Either way, to be
able to duplicate the vineyard after the damage from the late frosts,
it will have to be tended until autumn. Without plant protection and
weed control there will be no ripe wood from which to take cuttings.
Then everything will have been in vain. If it succeeds somehow I will
lease the vineyard and keep it as it is. But the external costs will
be higher than before since essential maintenance will have to be
contracted.
Mr. Jung tells us all this was a few years ago and now they have weathered the storm and he has launched a new initiative www.rebenpatenschaft.de through which mentors can lend financial support and receive complimentary bottles of wine from the relevant vines. It was hoped that this would pay the running costs. Andreas calculates that there are 103 varieties in the Sudpfalz wine area, 94 of which are native. These varieties were to be found 100 - 150 years ago in German vineyards. Today they cling on in corners of vineyards, gardens and terraces. The first archives have been established at Gundelsheim am Neckar, Flörsheim-Dalsheim in Hessen and Heppenheim an der Bergstraße. In these site around 1400 clones of 300 old native plants are kept. There are other plots in several places including Taubertal, in Thüringen, in Rheinhessen and in Würzburg and a new plot in Gundheim has been in preparation since 2015. 10 of the collected, historical varieties are to be found with 250 to over 2000 vines in regular experimental vineyards:
Affenthaler
Schwarzurban
Blauer Elbling
Zinfandel
Grünfränkisch
Adelfränkisch
Räuschling
Kleinberger
Honigler
Roter Veltliner.
Varieties from the early middle ages such as Süßschwarz, Kleiner Burgunder, Blaue Vorzügliche, Frühe Möhrchen, Weiße Traminer and others are in preparation. A new clone of Roter Muskateller and of Riesling Selekta (a small berried clone of Riesling) have been admitted by the Bundessortenamt. Archives for Royal table grapes may be found in Würzburg and Potsdam.
Although the old grape varieties have been grown for centuries if not millenia, the great majority of these 760 historical wine and dessert grapes have been forbidden since 1929 when Phylloxera arrived. Until today there are only 27 out of around 550 surviving traditional varieties permitted. Special dispensations were needed from various authorities for the inclusion of these native varieties in the Grape Variety Archives.
The 58 white varieties in the Sudpfalz Weinberg;
- Adelfränkisch / Weißer Grünling
- Agostenga / Früher Leipziger / Frühweißer Malvasier
- Alexandriner Muskat (*)
- Alicante Weiße
- Augster Gelber
- Auxerrois / Kleiner Heunisch / Moselriesling
- Bouquettraube
- Bukett-Silvaner
- Chardonnay / Echter weißer Burgunder
- Corinthe Weiße
- Edler Weißer Tokayer / Furmint
- Elbling Weißer
- Elbling Roter
- Frühe Lahntraube
- Frühmuskat
- Fütterer Weißer
- Geisdutte Weiße / (falsche) Geisdutte Weiße (*)
- Gewürztraminer Roter
- Grauburgunder / Tokayer Grauer
- Gros Meslier / Großer Honigler
- Grünfränkisch Weißer
- Großer Veltliner Violetter
- Gutedel Weißer / Chasselas blanc
- Hartheunisch Gelber / Braunes
- Hänisch Roter / Pamid
- Heunisch Roter (*)
- Heunisch Weißer / Grobweisse
- Heunisch Dreifarbiger
- Honigler Gelber
- Kleinberger
- Kleinedel
- Lagler Weißer / Später Malvasier Weißer
- Madeleine Angevine
- Mädchentraube Weiße / Feteasca alba
- Mittelgroßer Veltliner Roter
- Muskateller Roter
- Muskat-Gutedel Weißer
- Ortlieber Früher Gelber
- Rosenkranz Weißer / Fitzrebe
- Petersiliengutedel
- Plantscher / Gros Bourgogne (*)
- Räuschling Weißer
- Räuschling Roter
- Riesling Weißer
- Rugische Rebe (Rak Szölo)
- Scheurebe
- Seidentraube Gelbe / Luglienga bianca / Luganer-Rebe
- Silvaner Grüner
- Silvaner Blauer
- Tokayer Weißer
- Traminer Weißer
- Traminer Roter
- Versoalin Weißer (*)
- Visitator (fränkischer Fütterer)
- Vogelfränkische Weiße
- Weißburgunder / Pinot Blanc
- Welschriesling Weißer
The 37 red varieties;
- Affenthaler Blauer
- Arbst Blauer
- Black Prince
- Blank Blauer (*)
- Champagner Blauer / Blauer Kölner
- Champagne-Traube Schwarze / Schwarzer Prinz
- Claret Ordinärer Blauer (*)
- Clävner
- Cot (Kaiserstuhl)
- Cot Rouge (*)
- Elbling Blauer
- Frühe Violette
- Geisdutte Blaue (*)
- Gouais noir / Blauer Lampart
- Hartblau / Auvernat tinto
- Heunisch Blauer / Sehr Später Burgunder
- Kleiner Fränkischer Burgunder / Pinot Franc
- Hrvatica Blaue / Crevatizza / Kroatische Traube (*)
- Kracher Blauer / Bettlertraube
- Malbek
- Möhrchen (*)
- Mohrenkönig
- Morillon tocony
- Muskat-Gutedel Blauer
- Oeil de morion
- Portugieser blauer
- Samtrot
- Schaaftraube / Mohrenkönigin
- Schlehentraube
- Spätburgunder Blauer / Pinot noir
- Schwarzriesling / Pinot Meunier
- Süßroth / Tauberschwarz
- Süßblau
- Süßschwarz
- Trollinger Blauer
- Tschagelle Vernatsch (*)
- Zinfandel / Primitivo /Kratosija
(*) fewer than 4 vines extant!
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