Staufer

Vine variety: Frühburgunder

Frühburgunder is an early ripening special form (mutation) of the Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). In Germany it is classified as an independent variety.

Country of origin: Germany
Year of entry into the German Federal Office's Varieties Register: 1971
Breeder/License holder: Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim
Number of clones: recommended clones are 1 Gm, 2 Gm, 4 Gm, 6 Gm.
Older clones should no longer be planted because of strong virus-infection.
Area planted in Germany in : hectares
Area planted in England (as at August 2004): unknown (it has been confused with Pinot Noir)

Wine Character - colour: ruby red, light red
- bouquet:
- palate: fruity, good body, the wine is softer and more velvety than Spätburgunder

Time of bud-burst: middle-late

Strength of growth: medium-strong
Growth of side-shoots: medium

Flowering time: late
Flowering strength: medium

Leaf: - size: medium                          - shape:
        - colour:
        - surface undulation:                 - petiolar sinus:

Grape bunch: - size: small-medium     - density: tight
Berries:        - size: small-medium      - shape:
                   - skin colour: blue-black, thick skin

Time of veraison: early
Time of harvest: in comparison with the classic Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) they ripen about 2 to 3 weeks earlier. Because of the early ripening the grapes must be protected against birds by netting or other means.

Grape yield: low to very low; in Germany through intensive search in long test rows the Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim have developed one row of a new more productive clone. The tendency to coulure of this clone is relatively low, so it yields about 50 hl/ha.
Must-weight: high to very high
Must-acidity: low

Wood ripening: good
Winter hardiness: medium
Wood colour:

Chlorosis resistance:
Susceptibility to - Oidium: low to medium       - Peronospora:
                       - Botrytis: medium, suffers less because it is harvested early in the damp
                                  autumn months but may have to be picked early if botrytis is bad.
                       - Roter Brenner:
                       - Phomopsis                        - Stem-atrophy:

Preferred soil: open texture, fertile and porous (well drained),
according to Geisenheim it needs a good to mid-early site, it is susceptible
to wasp attack so avoid planting near woods and hedges.
Suitable rootstocks: SO4 or 125AA (according to Geisenheim)

Normal stem height:
Normal row spacing:
Vine spacing in the row:

Winter Pruning: eyes/buds per sq. metre of land occupied by the plant

Advantages: early ripening.

Disadvantages: Low yield, only moderate flowering strength. Susceptible to wasp attack. The red wine character is different from Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder).