German wine - grape varieties
Kerner - white vine variety
- Kerner
Today, Kerner is the most widely planted new crossing in Germany, covering about 7% of the surface devoted to viticulture. It was bred in 1969 in Württemberg and named after a local poet Justinius Kerner. Kerner is a crossing of Trollinger and Riesling.
Compared with Riesling, it can be grown in less favorable sites and yields more. Kerner ripens in early October. The wines are fresh, racy and fruity — not unlike Riesling — yet milder in acidity, with a more pronounced bouquet, often with a Muscat tone. The largest vineyard areas of Kerner are in the Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Württemberg and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer regions.
