It is of medium growth, with medium-sized bunches made up of round yellow-green berries, which have tender skins making them prone to grey rot. This tendency to rot can be prevented by planting the vines in the driest positions. The variety gives an abundant harvest and the grapes have proportionately higher sugar levels or must-weight content.

Through careful treatment against grey rot incidence it is possible regularly to achieve wines with special late-harvest or auslese attributes. The quality wines from this grape variety are full-bodied and take their character from the Riesling, with a wide spectrum of intense aromatic notes which gives them a certain spiciness, while losing somewhat the briskness and elegance associated with the Riesling variety.

Basic characteristics of quality wine:

Wine is of greenish-yellow hue and the nose is very similar to Riesling but having a greater intensity of quince and lime flowers. The resulting wine can well be robust, well-balanced and moderately spicy.

Translation © Helena & John Baker 2004.