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SOMMWINE GRAPE LIBRARY
Rotgipfler
Also known as Reifler, Slatzki zelenac
Rotgipfler is a white grape strongly associated with Austria’s Thermenregion, especially Gumpoldskirchen. Official cultivar records identify it as a natural cross of Traminer and Roter Veltliner. It is made as a varietal wine and traditionally blended with Zierfandler in Spätrot-Rotgipfler; regional sources describe ripe, extract-rich wines with apple, pear and fruit-spice character.
ColourWhite
ClassificationVitis vinifera subsp. vinifera
Typical bodyTypically full and extract-rich in Thermenregion descriptions; expression varies by harvest and wine style.
Typical acidityThe regional source describes extract- and alcohol-rich wines; no fixed acidity category is asserted.
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At a Glance
Dry single-varietal Thermenregion whites
Typical tannin: Not applicable to ordinary white wines.
Aromas and Flavours
- apple and pear
- fruit-spice character
- some resemblance to robust Grüner Veltliner in regional account
Where It Grows
- Thermenregion
- Gumpoldskirchen
- Baden
- Pfaffstätten
- Guntramsdorf
- Traiskirchen
- Austria
Climate and Winemaking
Cultivated principally in the Thermenregion around Gumpoldskirchen. Official source describes a preference for sunny, favourable sites; no broader climate performance claim asserted.
The official technical account describes medium-late phenology, compact bunches, preference for medium-weight calcareous soils and sunny slopes, with vulnerability to bunch rot.
Produced as a varietal wine and in Spätrot-Rotgipfler blends; sources document stainless steel or large wood, occasionally barrique, and later-harvest Prädikat styles. These are options rather than universal methods.
Food Pairings
- Roast pork or breaded meats with fuller Rotgipfler (editorial recommendation)
- Mildly spiced Asian dishes with dry Rotgipfler (editorial recommendation)
- Fruit dessert with an appropriately sweet late-harvest example (editorial recommendation)
Ageing Potential
- The Austrian cultivar reference says quality examples can gain expression with bottle age. This is potential, not a universal guarantee; style, vintage and cellar decisions matter.
Test Your Knowledge
- Which two parent varieties are recorded for Rotgipfler?
- What is the Spätrot-Rotgipfler blend?
- Why is rot risk relevant to this cultivar?
