The German vineyard owner and viticulture pioneer Johann Philipp Bronner (1792-1864) first trained as a pharmacist and studied pharmacy in Würzburg (Franconia). In the foreword to his first book, "Die Verbesserung des Weinbaus" (The Improvement of Viticulture), published in 1830, Bronner mentions that he was able to acquire wasteland in Wiesloch in 1826, where he grew wine. Here he tested various pruning methods and established a model vine nursery with 400 different grape varieties, comprising several hundred thousand vines. In 1839 the area was purchased in honour of Margrave Charles III. Wilhelm (1679-1738), and Bronner was awarded the title of "Ökonomierat" for his services to viticulture. In accordance with his motto "grasp and use the spirit of the times", Bronner travelled to many wine-growing regions, partly on behalf of the Baden government. In Germany, these were the present wine-growing regions of Palatinate, Moselle, Rheingau, Saxony and Württemberg, as well as the countries of France, Switzerland, Austria-Hungary and Italy.
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Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)