{{Short description|Variety of grape}} {{Infobox grape variety | name = Ehrenfelser | color = Blanc | image = RhineValley_BurgEhrenfels.JPG | caption = The ruins of ''Burg Ehrenfels'', from which the Ehrenfelser grape takes its name, amidst vineyards in Rüdesheim | species = ''Vitis vinifera'' | also_called = Geisenheim 9-93 | origin = Geisenheim, Rheingau, Germany | hazards = <!-- Viticultural hazards --> | regions = | notable_wines = | vivc_number = 3847 | pedigree1 = Riesling | pedigree2 = Knipperlé }}
'''Ehrenfelser''' is a white wine grape variety of German origin. It was created by Dr. Heinrich Birk (1898-1973) at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in 1929, by crossing Riesling with what was thought at the time to be Silvaner, but DNA markers have since indicated it was the Alsace variety Knipperlé.<ref name="VIVC Ehrenfelser">{{cite web | url = http://www.vivc.de?r=passport/view&id=3847 | title = Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Ehrenfelser | accessdate = 22 October 2018 }}</ref><ref name="WP Ehrenfelser">{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Wein-Plus Glossary | url = https://glossary.wein-plus.eu/ehrenfelser | title = Ehrenfelser | editor-last = Tischelmayer | editor-first = Norbert | accessdate = 22 January 2013 }}</ref>
Ehrenfelser was first grown primarily in the Palatinate and Rheinhessen regions in Germany,<ref name="Clarke pg 88">{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Grapes | title = Ehrenfelser | editor-last1 = Clarke | editor-first1 = Oz | editor-link1 = Oz Clarke | page = 88 | publisher = Harcourt Books | date = 2001 | isbn = 0-15-100714-4 }}</ref> however as is the case with most white German "new crosses", plantings within Germany have decreased considerably in recent years. In 2006, only {{convert|112|ha}} of plantings remained,<ref name="Statistics 07-08">[http://www.deutscheweine.de/icc/Internet-DE/med/1a6/1a64f607-a3e5-5117-3d28-952196117f51,11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111.pdf German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2007-2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920194632/http://www.deutscheweine.de/icc/Internet-DE/med/1a6/1a64f607-a3e5-5117-3d28-952196117f51,11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111.pdf |date=September 20, 2008 }}</ref> down from {{convert|255|ha}} in 1999.<ref name="Statistics 04-05">[http://www.deutscheweine.de/icc/Internet-DE/med/00f/00f51f4e-0098-401b-e592-6461d7937aae,11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111.pdf German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2004-2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090920130040/http://www.deutscheweine.de/icc/Internet-DE/med/00f/00f51f4e-0098-401b-e592-6461d7937aae,11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111.pdf |date=2009-09-20 }}</ref>
Ehrenfelser has found some success outside Germany, mainly in Canada, in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. 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, Canterbury (New Zealand) and Australia<ref>Known planting at [http://www.everymanandhisdogvineyard.com Every Man and His Dog Vineyard] in Tasmania.</ref><ref name="Irvine pg 435">Robert Irvine & Walter Clore, ''The Wine Project'', pg 435 Sketch Publications 1997 {{ISBN|0-9650834-9-7}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Robinson pg 252">Jancis Robinson, ''Vines, Grapes & Wine'', pg 252 Octopus Publishing 1986 {{ISBN|978-1-85732-999-5}}</ref>
Ehrenfelser derives its name from the Burg Ehrenfels ruins located on the Rhine near Rüdesheim.<ref name="WP Ehrenfelser"/> It is also known under the synonym Geisenheim 9-93.<ref name="VIVC Ehrenfelser"/>
Ehrenfelser was crossed with Reichensteiner to create Ehrenbreitsteiner.
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:White wine grape varieties Category:Rheingau