The white grape variety (also Geisenheim 9-97) is a new breeding between Riesling x Silvaner, which was confirmed by several recent DNA analyses conducted in 2018. The name honors Count Friedrich Karl Maximilian von Ostein (1735-1809), who had the Ostein Palais and a landscape park built in Geisenheim. The new breeds Multaner, Oraniensteiner, and Rieslaner also originated from the same parents.
The crossing was carried out by Dr. Heinrich Birk (1898-1973) in 1929 at the Geisenheim Research Institute in the Rheingau. The varietal protection was granted in 1984. The medium to late ripening, high-yielding vine is resistant to frost, both powdery mildew types and Botrytis. It produces fresh, acidic white wines with aromas of currants and lemons. In 2016, only one stock with one hectare was recorded in New Zealand (Kym Anderson).
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