WEISSBURGUNDER

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See PINOT BLANC in the PINOT entry.

WELSCHRIESLING

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See GRAŠEVINA.

WÜRZER

Declining, perfumed German cross best in small doses.

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Berry colour: white

PRINCIPAL SYNONYMS: Alzey 10487

ORIGINS AND PARENTAGE

A SAVAGNIN ROSE × MÜLLER-THURGAU cross bred by Georg Scheu at Alzey in 1932, authorized in Germany in 1978. It was named after the spicy (würzig) aromas of the wine.

VITICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

Early to mid ripening, good resistance to downy mildew. Sensitive to winter frosts. Moderate sugar levels but acidity is low except in very cool climates.

WHERE IT’S GROWN AND WHAT ITS WINE TASTES LIKE

There are 66 ha (163 acres) in Germany, mostly in Rheinhessen and the Nahe, down from a peak of 121 ha (299 acres) in 1995. Wines are generally soft and too headily perfumed not to be blended with other varieties. Producers of varietal wines include Sitzius and Schillingshof in the Nahe and Schmitt’s Kinder in Franken. There are also very limited plantings in Switzerland (0.33 ha/0.8 acres).

Just 6 ha (15 acres) of Würzer grow in England but in such a cool climate it ripens too late to be successful in most sites and it is declining in favour of earlier-ripening varieties such as BACCHUS.

Seifried in Nelson, New Zealand, have a few rows and make a varietal wine that is as spicy as its name suggests.