General information about vine variety Frühburgunder :

Frühburgunder also bears the synonyms “Pinot Madelaine” or “Pinot Précosse” and its variety of names points to its genetic origins as a natural mutation of Spätburgunder. In the 1960s, only 15 hectares were in production, but the Geisenheim Research Institute became involved as a breeder for the preservation of the variety and helped to breathe new life into it. As the well-cultivated brother of Pinot Noir, it is grown on smaller areas, preferably in the more northerly growing areas such as the Ahr and the Mosel, and in recent years also in Great Britain.

Grape :

The rather small grape is quite compact and not very shouldered. The berries are noticeably smaller compared to Pinot Noir.

Wine :

Brick to dark red, velvety, full red wines with pleasant acidity. Typical aromas are cherries and raspberries, accompanied in the wine by mocha and spicy and smoky aromas.

Cultivation advice for Frühburgunder vine :

The early ripening, usually as early as the end of August, speaks in favour of cultivation in cooler, northern regions. The vine shows a vigorous, upright growth with small shoots. This means that the grape zone in the foliage wall remains well ventilated, which is an advantage given the thin skin of the berries.

The wines of Pinot Noir Précoce are very similar, if not indistinguishable, from those of Pinot Noir, and it is far from clear that these wines are distinguished by anything other than oenological characteristics resulting from early ripening (e.g. relatively fuller flavour development, lower acidity, and the like).

Preparation of vine variety Frühburgunder:

Put your vine in a bucket of water for 24 hours. This way it can suckle itself full again before planting out.

Ground preparation :

You can improve your soil with lava grit (if lime soil) or with bentonite and lava flour (if sandy soil).

Planting out a grapevine:

Make a hole with a diameter of 10 cm and +/- 30 cm deep with a ground drill or spade. And plant the vine with the graft just above the ground. The vine may come out of the ground between 5 and 10 cm. Plant your vines between May 1 and May 15 and leave 1 meter between the plants and 1.5 to 1.8 meters between the rows.

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