Oberlin Christian

The French engineer and vine breeder Philip Christian Oberlin (1831-1915) began planting experimental vineyards in 1854 to compare grape varieties. Three years later, he established the private "Institute Viticole Oberlin" on the outskirts of the town of Colmar (Haut-Rhin in Alsace), which mainly served to cross and disseminate the new grape varieties and rootstocks he created on a large scale. In 1904, about 1,200 different varieties were already being compared there. The most widespread was the red hybrid Oberlin Noir, which was later named after him.

A grape variety frequently used by Oberlin for his crossings was the Riesling. New varieties created by him include Aromriesling, Augustriesling, Bouquetriesling, Bouquetsylvaner, Diamantmuskat, Edelmuskat, Feinmuskat, Feinriesling, Firnriesling, Frühgipfler, Frühriesling, Goldriesling (1), Gutknipperlé, Lafayette, Louisette, Marienriesling, Muscat de la Republique, Muscat Dore de Semis, Muskatblume, Muskatbouquet, Muskatduft, Muskatriesling, Prachttraube and Président Carnot. Oberlin also selected the Madeleine Ange vine Oberlin variety from a seedling of Madeleine Angevine.

He also experimented intensively with forms of training for vines and developed the "Oberlin cordon training" and the "Oberlin wire training". In his publications he dealt with the reconstruction of vineyards without grafted vines. The variety Goldriesling (1) was used for new breeding at the same institute by the French breeder Eugène Kuhlmann (1858-1932).

Voices of our members

The Wine lexicon helps me to keep up to date and refresh my knowledge. Thank you for this Lexicon that will never end in terms of topicality! That's what makes it so exciting to come back often.
Thorsten Rahn
Restaurantleiter, Sommelier, Weindozent und Autor; Dresden

Welcome back!

Oberlin Christian

Voices of our members

The world's largest Lexicon of wine terms.

EVENTS NEAR YOU