Today, some of the interesting local older varieties that are on the defensive, but are gradually again breaking through the wine market.
Gelber Orleans is one of the old European grape varieties that were widespread in the 19th century, especially in Germany and partly in France. In the period before phylloxera, Gelber Orleans was grown mainly as part of mixed plantings, because it was able to maintain high acidity even in warmer years. This property was important in the creation of long-lived wines. Today, with increasing temperatures in the ongoing climate change, this property plays a particularly positive role.
The variety was gradually displaced by more productive ones – mainly Riesling replaced it. By the end of the 20th century, only plantings on small historical plots remained in Germany. Winemakers focused on biodiversity and historical grape varieties were mainly responsible for saving Gelber Orleans. Today, this variety is one of the rarest German white wines and, as I mentioned above, is also interesting from the point of view of ongoing climate changes – it ripens later and naturally retains fresh acidity.
Wines from Gelber Orleans tend to be dry, mineral, built more on structure and acid than on aromatic expression. In good locations, it can create a serious gastronomic wine with aging potential.
The Knipser winery is one of the most important family wineries in the Palatinate region. The Knipser family has been farming vineyards around the village of Laumersheim since 1876. Today, Weingut Knipser is considered one of the pioneers of modern quality German wine, especially in the dry wine segment.
The Palatinate is the second largest wine-growing region in Germany and at the same time one of the warmest. The combination of a warm climate, limestone soils and low rainfall creates conditions that enable the production of concentrated wines with a solid structure. The region is known not only for Riesling, but also for Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder), Chardonnay and other historical varieties, which several wineries are returning to the vineyards.
Knipser has been working with Burgundy varieties for a long time and is also among the producers who support the revival of forgotten German grape varieties. Gelber Orleans 2019 is an example of this philosophy – it is not a marketing experiment, but serious work with a historical variety in a suitable terroir.
Knipser winery is a member of the prestigious VDP association (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter), which brings together German elite wine producers. Emphasis on work in the vineyard, yield reduction and precise vinification are among the characteristic features of Knipser winery.
Here is the description of the wine:
The wine is dry. It has a light yellow to straw color with greenish reflections. It seems clean, fresh and youthful.
The aroma is more elegant than expressive. Tones of citrus peel, green apple, white currants and dried herbs appear. When opening, a fine mineral line reminiscent of wet stone and limestone is gradually added.
The taste is dry and built on a pronounced acidity. Citrus and green fruit dominate. The body is firm, without unnecessary softness. Gelber Orleans in this version shows a gastronomic rather than a fruity character of the wine.
The finish is longer, fresh and slightly salty. The wine seems clean in taste and is very well balanced. Even after several years in the bottle, it retains its energy and potential for further development.
Alcohol is 12,5% vol.
The recommended serving temperature is 7 – 11 °C. At higher temperatures, the complexity of the wine opens up better.
Gelber Orleans 2019 is a very good gastronomic wine. It is especially suitable for dishes with freshwater fish (trout or zander), oysters and seafood, but also with veal, poultry with herbs and white asparagus. Among cheeses, wine pairs best with hard goat cheeses. Thanks to its higher acidity, it also works well with dishes where a buttery or creamy texture is present.
The Knipser winery is among the highest rated German wineries in the Gault&Millau, Falstaff and Eichelmann guides. The Gelber Orleans 2019 wine itself appeared mainly in professional tastings focused on historical and rare grape varieties, where it was also positively evaluated for its authenticity and purity of expression.
Gelber Orleans 2019 by Knipser is not a wine built on first-rate aromatics or showiness. It is a wine for someone looking for character, historical context and an authentic expression of an old German grape variety.
This wine shows that even slowly forgotten varieties can offer a convincing and tasty result in a quality terroir. It presents an interesting view of the future of European viticulture in a period of climate warming, where historical varieties with higher acidity may regain a permanently important place.
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