Kerner
Württemberg, Germany
A crisp, fruity white bred in 1929 by crossing Trollinger with Riesling, hardy and Riesling-like but lower in acid.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Niche
Climate
Cool climate
Ripening
Mid season
Wine styles
Still
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
Germany
Württemberg and Pfalz
Fresh, fruity whites, and the grape's birthplace in Württemberg.
Italy
South Tyrol (Eisack Valley)
A DOC since 1993; high-altitude wines are crisp and aromatic.
Background
Origin & History
Kerner was bred in 1929 by August Herold at the plant-breeding station in Lauffen, in Württemberg, from a cross of Trollinger and Riesling, and was named for the poet and physician Justinus Kerner. It is a hardy vine that ripens more reliably than Riesling, and it makes fresh, fruity wines with a muscat-like aroma.
German plantings peaked around 1990 and have since declined; it is also an important grape in South Tyrol's Eisack Valley, where it received a DOC in 1993.
Lineage
Family tree
Ancestry above, descendants below. Click a related grape to explore its own lineage.