CATALOGUE 2009 - Manufaktur Jörg Geiger, Apfelweincocktails ...

The Champagne baking pear may
well be an old Württemberger
variety. It originated from an accidental
seedling, as do almost all old
fruit species. In Duke Carl Eugen’s
tree nursery, the Champagne baking
pear was propagated in large numbers
due to its high local importance
so that it could be distributed by the
agricultural patron throughout the
whole of the state of Württemberg.
According to Lucas, around 1850 it
was commonly found on the Filder
elevated plain near Stuttgart, in
the Neckar and Rems valleys and
in many regions of the state. The
tree established itself at medium
altitudes from 300 to 450 m above
sea level, especially in conditions
favourable to creating microclimates
on warmer soils. Today we
find the trees in particular in certain
regions along the Albtrauf, the
northwestern border of the Swabian
Alb mountain range.
Schlat, with its favourable position
for fruit cultivation, has preserved a
vital crop thanks to the attachment of
the local people to their Champagne
baking-pear trees and to the knowledge
of its fruit growers.
The main crop in Schlat is now
between 90 and 120 years old, with
a small part in the middle age range
at 30 years old and newly planted
trees from the last five years that
still have some growing ahead of
them before they begin to deliver
any significant yield after 20 years of
cultivation. A high-standing tree first
completes its natural growth spurt
and only then starts to bear fruit.
This is an example of a tree really
being planted and cultivated for the
next generation, where long-term
management is required.
Our traditional orchards in the
area around the Albvorland, located
below the Albtrauf, are the largest
area of biodiversity north of the
Alps. The outstanding range of
species there is important for all the
ecosystems in central Europe. With
more than 5000 animal and plant
2
species, not counting fungi, lichens
and mosses, this is unique in the
area north of the Alps. The dominant
species of birds found in the traditional
orchard include the little owl,
wryneck, woodchat shrike, green
woodpecker and collared flycatcher.
The traditional orchard is therefore
of the highest importance for the
biodiversity of central Europe,
comparable with the standard olive,
cork and Holm oak tree forests of
southern Europe.
In 2007 the traditional orchards of
the Albtrauf were declared an EU
bird sanctuary.
At the Albtrauf, there is a unique
natural harvest on well-tended
traditional orchards of old fruit
varieties growing on high-standing
trees that produce fruits of
particular taste and quality.
In our fruit workshop, we collect and
cultivate these rare varieties individually
and get the best out of them,
always respecting the traditional
usage, with the best knowledge of
winegrowing and always driven by
those so very “Swabian” virtues of
passion and perfection.
Let yourself be seduced by stimulating
and simple companions and the
aromas of our natural surroundings
in hand-crafted perfection!