Grape Guide
Scheurebe
WhiteScheurebe is a Riesling cross bred in 1916 in Rheinhessen, now known to have Bukettraube as its other parent rather than the Silvaner long credited. It gives aromatic wines of blackcurrant and grapefruit with firm acidity, made in Germany and Austria from dry through to botrytised sweet, and the best examples age well.
Key Characteristics
- Riesling x Bukettraube crossing, bred 1916 at Alzey
- Ripens slightly before Riesling, with acid that falls late
- Vulnerable to winter frost, powdery mildew and botrytis
- About 1,500 ha in Germany in 2023, down from a peak near 4.4 percent of vineyard area in 1985
- Tolerates dry, poor soils; does best on loess and limestone
Typical Flavors
Major Regions
Rheinhessen (Germany) · Pfalz (Germany) · Franken (Germany) · Nahe (Germany) · Neusiedlersee (Burgenland, Austria) · Styria (Austria)
Also Known As
Alzey S 88 · Dr Wagnerrebe · Sämling 88 (Austria) · Scheu 88
Overview
Scheurebe keeps a taut acid frame and, like Riesling, can carry site character into the glass, but its aromatic register is louder and more exotic. Cassis leaf, pink grapefruit and elderflower dominate in the glass, with peach, lime and mango appearing as the fruit ripens further. Underripe fruit pushes the wine toward harsh grapefruit pith, so picking date is critical. It is one of the few modern crossings to earn serious standing at both ends of the sweetness scale. Dry Kabinett and Spätlese styles suit spiced cooking and shellfish, while the Prädikat levels from Auslese upward gain honey, rose and peach depth and can be cellared for decades. The variety is far less planted than in the 1980s, which has left it a specialist's wine, made by a small group of dedicated growers in the Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Franken and the Neusiedlersee area of Burgenland.
Origins & History
Georg Scheu, director of the state grapevine breeding institute at Alzey in Rheinhessen, made the crossing in 1916. His aim was a vine with the aromatic lift that Silvaner lacked, earlier ripening, and better tolerance of frost and of lime-induced chlorosis. The seedling carried the selection number 88, and the vine circulated as Sämling 88 and as Dr. Wagnerrebe before being named Scheurebe in 1945 in honour of its breeder. It was released for general cultivation in Germany in 1956, after Scheu's death in 1949. For decades the recorded parentage was Silvaner x Riesling. DNA profiling in the late 1990s showed that Silvaner could not be a parent and that Riesling was. Later work in Germany identified Bukettraube (Bouquet Blanc) as the second parent, which is the parentage now given in the German and Austrian official registers. Scheu is known to have worked with wild vines, so some doubt remains over the exact identity of the original parents. Scheurebe was recognised as a serious variety in the 1950s, when it proved able to reach Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese levels. Plantings in Germany peaked at roughly 4.4 percent of the vineyard area in 1985, then fell steadily as growers moved toward other varieties. In Austria it is usually labelled Sämling 88. Small plantings exist in Switzerland, British Columbia, Oregon, California, Western Australia and New Zealand.
Viticultural Characteristics
Scheurebe ripens a little before Riesling, with acidity that breaks down relatively late, an advantage in cooler German sites. It is nearly as particular as Riesling about site, yet copes with fairly dry, poor ground and performs well on loess and limestone. Winter frost can damage the wood, and the variety is vulnerable to powdery mildew and to botrytis; in humid autumns rot can spread quickly, a risk that growers aiming for noble sweet wines accept deliberately. Waiting for full ripeness separates the best wines from the green, grapefruit-pith examples picked early.
Wine Styles & Characteristics
Dry and off-dry Scheurebe is the style of most current growers, produced in stainless steel to preserve the cassis and grapefruit character and bottled at moderate alcohol. Kabinett and Spätlese bottlings with a little residual sugar are popular with Asian and spiced cooking. The best dry examples from the Pfalz and Franken gain real depth with several years in bottle. The most prized wines are sweet. Scheurebe botrytises readily and keeps its acid, so Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese styles show honey, peach and rose notes without cloying. Austria's Neusiedlersee area produces celebrated Trockenbeerenauslese examples, labelled Sämling 88 or Scheurebe, with residual sugar that can approach 200 g/L.