Commercially Significant Crosses and Hybrids Flashcards
Cross or Hybrid
Müller-Thurgau
Cross
Riesling x Madeleine Royale
What other cultivars were created from Müller-Thurgau?
Bacchus
Ortega
Reichensteiner
What are the viticultural characteristics of Müller-Thurgau?
High Yielding
Early Ripening
Thin Skins
Susceptible to Powdery Mildew, Downy Mildew, Grey Rot, Black Rot, and Rotbrenner
What is the structure of Müller-Thurgau?
Low-Medium Acid
Müller-Thurgau Profile
Cool Climate
Lightly Aromatic
Citrus Fruit
Hint of Muscat character
Low-Medium Acid
Müller-Thurgau Profile
Moderate Climate
Peach
Low Acid
Flabby Mid-Palate
Müller-Thurgau Synonyms
Rivaner (Austria, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Germany)
What grapes are Müller-Thurgau commonly blended with?
Riesling, Silvaner, and Kerner (Liebfraumilch from Germany)
Morio Muskat (aromatic medium whites)
What are some positive attributes of Müller-Thurgau?
Early Ripening
High Yielding
What are some negative attributes of Müller-Thurgau?
Wines can be dull and flabby if yields are not controlled
Large, thin skinned berries are prone to rot
Susceptible to disease
What color cultivar is Müller-Thurgau?
White
What is Madeleine Royale? What relationship does it have with other cultivars?
A table grape that was crossed with Riesling to produce Müller-Thurgau
Cross or Hybrid
Ruby Cabernet
Cross
Carignan x Cabernet Sauvignon
Who invented Müller-Thurgau? When? Where?
Hermann Muller
1882
Hochschule Geisenheim University
Who invented Ruby Cabernet? When? Where?
Unknown Californians
1948
San Joaquin Valley, California
What are the viticultural characteristics of Ruby Cabernet?
High Yielding
Poor Fruit Set
Susceptible to Powdery Mildew
What is the structure of Ruby Cabernet?
Deep Color
Low Acid
Soft Tannins
Ruby Cabernet Profile
Hot Climate
Cherry Fruit
Low Acid
Soft Tannins
Best examples show aromas similar to young Cabernet Sauvignon and the color of Carignan
What types of wines are made with Ruby Cabernet?
Big blends where Ruby Cabernet plays a supporting role
What grapes are Ruby Cabernet typically blended with?
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Lesser quality black varieties
What are some positive attributes of Ruby Cabernet?
Withstands Hot Climates
Drought Resistant
High Yielding
What are some negative attributes of Ruby Cabernet?
Poor Fruit Set
Susceptible to Powdery Mildew
Wines tend to be flat and lack structure
What color cultivar is Ruby Cabernet?
Black
Cross or Hybrid
Pinotage
Cross
Pinot Noir x Cinsault
Who invented Pinotage? Where? When?
Unknown
1925
South Africa
Pinotage Synonyms
Hermitage (South Africa)
What are the viticultural characteristics of Pinotage?
Vigorous
High Yielding
Early-Mid Budding
Early-Mid Ripening
Susceptible to Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, and Grey Rot
More climactically adaptable than Pinot
What are the structural characteristics of Pinotage?
Medium(+) Acid
High Tannins
High Sugar Levels
Thick Skins
Pinotage Profile
Hot Climate
Deep Color
Black Fruit
(Black Cherry, Plum, Bramble)
Medicinal
Smoky
Earthy
Medium(+) Acid
High Tannins
Pinotage Profile
Oak Flavors
Toast
Vanilla
Smoky
Pinotage Profile
Under-ripe
Herbaceous
Pinotage Profile
Over-ripe
Jammy
Baked Fruits
The best Pinotage wines are made from grapes with what level of ripeness? What kinds of vines do they come from?
Fully mature grapes provide a wine with rich flavors that can be long lasting.
Old, lower yielding vines provide superior grape quality.
Why have Pinotage wines struggled on the international market?
These wines can often have notes of nail varnish remover or isoamyl acetate (banana/pear aroma compound)
These aromas are believed to be caused by high water stress or high pre-harvest temperatures and may be exacerbated by high fermentation temperatures.
What are some positive attributes of Pinotage?
Easy to cultivate
Ripens and yields well
High natural sugar with good acidity
What are some negative attributes of Pinotage?
Reputation for isoamyl acetate smell despite winemaking improvements
Cross or Hybrid
Seyval Blanc
Hybrid
V. vinifera x V. rupestris
Seibel 5656 x Rayon d’Or
What are the viticultural characteristics of Seyval Blanc?
High Yielding
Early Ripening
Winter Hardy
Disease Resistant
Susceptible to Grey Rot
What is the structure of Seyval Blanc?
Medium Sugar
High Acid
Seyval Blanc Profile
Cool Climate
Citrus Fruit
(Grapefruit)
White Fruit
Light Body
High Acid
Seyval Blanc Profile
Oak Flavors
Toast
Seyval Blanc Profile
Lees Flavors
Yogurt
Cream
What do some producers of Seyval Blanc do to improve the body and roundness of their wines?
Oak aging, which makes the wines fuller bodied and softer
What are some positive attributes of Seyval Blanc?
High Yielding
Early Ripening
Disease resistance allows for organic viticulture in challenging conditions
No foxy aromas that other hybrids can possess
Cross or Hybrid
Rondo
Hybrid
V. vinifera x V. amurensis
Sankt Laurent x Zarya Severa
What are the viticultural characteristics of Rondo?
Very Early to Early Ripening
Winter Hardiness
Frost Resistant
Disease Resistant
What is the structure of Rondo?
Teinturier
Deep Color
High Acid
Light Body
Rondo Profile
Cool Climate
Red Fruit
Very Deep Color
High Acid
Light Body
Rondo Profile
Oak Flavors
Smoke
Toast
Rondo Profile
Malolactic Fermentation
Creamy
Notes can be pronounced, as with Tempranillo
How is Rondo classified by the Bundessortenamt?
As V. vinifera
What grapes are Pinotage commonly blended with?
None
What grapes are Seyval Blanc commonly blended with?
None
What grapes are Rondo commonly blended with?
Dornfelder
Pinot Noir
What are some positive attributres of Rondo?
No trace of non-vinifera parentage in the flavor profile
Early Ripening
Resistant to Frost and Disease
May be used in the production of quality wines
Produces deeply colored wines ideal for blending
What are some negative attributes of Rondo?
Occasionally suffers from Powdery Mildew
Can often ripen too early
Cross or Hybrid
Vidal
Hybrid
V. vinifera x V. rupestris
Trebbiano Toscano x Rayon d’Or
Who invented Vidal? Where? When?
Jean Louis Vidal
France
1930s
What are the viticultual characteristics of Seyval Blanc?
Late Ripening
Winter Hardy
Resistant to Downy Mildew
Prone to Powdery Mildew and Grey Rot
What is the structure of Seyval Blanc?
High Acid
Thick Skins
Vidal Profile
Cool Climate
Delicate Aromas
Floral
Red Currant Bush
Light Body
High Acid
Dry to Luscious
What types of wine is Vidal best known for?
Icewine, specifically those from Canada and Finger Lakes, NY, USA
What grapes are Vidal commonly blended with?
Riesling (Canada)
What are some positive attributes of Vidal?
Winter Hardy
Frost Resistant
Thick skin ideal for sweet, late harvest wines and icewine
No obvious foxy character
What are some negative attributes of Vidal?
Icewines usually lack the elegance of Riesling, to which the grape is often compared
(They’re still great, though!)
