2024 - 250 years Ferdinand Oechsle
Christian Ferdinand Oechsle was born in Buhlbach in 1774, the 250th anniversary of his birth is in 2024. He is the inventor of the Oechsle scale.
Ferdinand Oechsle (mechanic, goldsmith and inventor) became famous in connection with the measurement of the must weight of wine. In detail, the sugar content of must or grape juice is measured. In this context, the term "Oechsle degrees" or rather " degree Oechsle" is still used today. It is thanks to Ferdinand Oechsle that wine scales became widespread and measurement was standardised. He is also credited with the development of the original Oechsle scale - also known as the must scale. This is still used today.
The must weight, which is indicated by the Oechsle value, refers to the sugar concentration contained in the grape. The Oechsle value, or the sugar content of the wine grape, is measured in the vineyard using a must scale, a calibrated araeometer.
The sugar concentration in the unharvested grape provides information about the possible alcohol content of wine later on, as the sugar is converted into alcohol by the wine yeasts during wine fermentation. The riper the grape, the higher its sugar content and thus the Oechsle value. This is why the Oechsle value is also a sign of quality, as the grape can only reach full ripeness if it is exposed to a lot of sunlight, i.e. a good vineyard location. For this reason, the Oechsle degree is also a quality criterion, especially in northern wine-growing regions - in the south, the grapes basically ripen anyway. However, grapes with a high Oechsle value also have a lower acid content.