Elbling

The Elfling (from Latin albus, white) is a white grape variety. He is considered the oldest wine places in Europe. Already cultivated by the Romans in the Moselle area, he was to the Middle Ages, the most common German variety, was from the 17th century, but then more and more displaced from the Riesling and Sylvaner. As rich grape carrier he was formerly popular with those who had to pay the tithes into wine.

The grape produces an uncomplicated and unadulterated dry white wine, which also perfectly suitable for sparkling wine production. The wine of the Elblings is more acidic (→ acid (wine) ) than most new varieties, it tastes tangy and fruity.

The Red Elfling is a rottraubige mutation of the White Elblings and is classified as a white wine. The color is light red to salmon color.

Black and Blue Elfling however, are no variants of Elfling, but varieties of Trollinger.

See also the article viticulture in Germany, viticulture in France, in Luxembourg wine-growing and winemaking in Switzerland and the list of grape varieties.

Origin

The White Elfling is one of the oldest grape varieties in Germany and how the White Räuschling probably originated in the Rhine Valley. Because of the linguistic similarity of synonyms albums and same with the Latin words Albuelis, Albuelos and Vitis alba the idea that the Romans had brought no later than the 4th century the Elfling Gaul to the Rhine was born. In fact, mentioned Pliny the Elder and Columella in their writings in the 1st century AD, the Vitis alba. On the other hand, the synonyms Allemand, Raisin blanc des Allemands, or Rheinelbe rather to a German origin. After Marcel Aeberhard the Elfling was mentioned under the name " Elseser " in the 13th century in a Hofrecht the Swiss Engelberg Monastery. The note concerned a vineyard on a fief in Wingreis on Lake Biel. Hieronymus Bock mentioned the variety in 1577 in his Kreutterbuch.

Long Elfling of the vine of the family was numbered among Heunisch. As he shows smaller berries than most Heunisch variants, it is also called " petits " or colloquially " Keenbeerich ". The "French Heunisch " there called " Gouais Blanc " is very likely closely related to the Elfling.

As Dr. Regner performs one of the Federal College in Klosterneuburg, was found in the 1990s by DNA analysis that the Elfling was a spontaneous cross between two varieties with heunischen and Frankish shares. As heunische variety doubt White Heunisch could be identified. As a Franconian varieties Traminer, a seedling accepted ( Genetically is also the origin of Riesling from Heunisch - the other parent is also a Traminer Seedling - proven).

Dissemination

The main growing areas of Elblings are Mosel -Saar- Ruwer and Sauer, on the Moselle, however, almost exclusively above von Trier, ie at the upper reaches of the River Moselle, eg in Nittel with 75% of cultivated area, (but not on the lower reaches of the Saar), where more limestone occurs as a slate. Other major production areas are Palzem, Kreuzweiler, Dilmar, Esingen, Helfant, Bilzingen, Wincheringen, Soest, Rehlinger, Köllig, Onsdorf, waves, Temmels, Tawern, Fellerich, Top Cheap, water timothy; on the left side of the Moselle hedgehog, Liersberg, Wasserbilligerbrück, Langsur, Mesenich, Grewenich and Metz village.

Moreover, even larger plantings in Baden and Saxony are known.

The cultivated area in Luxembourg covers 115.9 hectares (2008, source :); This corresponds to 9 % of the total acreage.

In Germany 580 hectares ( = 0.6 % of the vineyard ) were planted with the variety Elfling in 2007. In 2006 583 hectares were planted after at least 1043 hectares have been collected in 1999.

Source: Statistics vineyard of 13 March 2008, Federal Statistical Office, Wiesbaden, 2008 Descriptive list of varieties of the Federal Plant Variety Office, 2008, page 198ff.

Ampelographic varietal characteristics

In the ampelography the habit is described as follows:

• The shoot tip is open. It is woolly haired with a slightly reddish approach. The yellowish, slightly bronzed young leaves are densely hairy on the underside.
• The large leaves are roundish, either not sinuate or dreiflappig and only weakly sinuate. The petiole is closed or even overlapped. The leaves are sharply toothed. The leaf surface (also called lamina ) is vesicular rough.
• The cylindrical bunch is medium and dichtbeerig. The oblong berries are medium in size and light green to yellow- green color.

The Elfling drives from mid-early. This he usually escapes any spring frosts and thrives on medium good locations. The flowering period is also late.

The Elfling is an ancient cultural sites. Although he is sensitive to late frost, but comes with considerably less nitrogen than other vines along well, is therefore particularly suitable for a more natural, "controlled environment-friendly viticulture ". The vines can reach a very high age and have already after 40 to 50 years thigh thick stems.

Descendants

So far, the Elfling was hardly used for new variety of grape varieties. Christian Oberlin crossed the Elfling with Riesling to Elbriesling.

Synonyms

Other names for this variety are:

Albana (used in Italy, but not to be confused with the variety Albana ), Albe, albums, Albich, Albigensian, Albuelin, Albuelis (according to Pliny ), Anglais, Allemand Blanc, Alsatian, Alva, Biela zrebnina, Bielovacka, Bielovcka, Blesec, Blesez, Bourgeois, Burgau, Burgeger, castle Egger, Burger ( used in Alsace ), Burger Elfling ( in Switzerland), Burgundy grape green, Burgyre, Dickelbling, Elbai Fehér, Elbe, Elbele, Elves, Elves Fehér, Elber, Elbing, Facum, Facun, Facun blanc, Farantbily, Faucun, Frankenthal blanc, Foelschert (used in Luxembourg and German border region for " Red Elfling " ), Frankenthal Blanc, Gelbelbling, Yellow Elfling, common grape, Geschlachter burgers, Gonais blanc, Gouais Blanc (used in France an independent sort of Heunisch is probably - family), coarse, coarse burgers, Grobelbling, coarse Riesling, Gros Blanc, Großriesler, Great Riesling, Gwess ( used in Switzerland), Hartalbe, Hartelbling, Haussard, Hierländer, Kleinberger (former principal name) Klämmer, small berry, Klember, Klemmer, Klemplich, crystallizer, Kratkopeccelj, Kurzstingel, short Stingl, short Stingler, Marmont vert, Marmot, flour whiteness, Mouillet, Nässlinger, Nuremberg, Pecek, Plant Commun, Plant Madame, Räifrench, Rhine albums ( in Alsace ), Rheinelbe, slasher, Seretonina, Spizelbe, Srebonina, Süßgrober, Süßgrobes, Verdin Blanc, Vert Blanc, Vert Doux, Weißalbe, White Elves, Weißelbling, White Dickelbling, White Elfling, White Sylvaner, Welsche, Welschel and tenacious.