Wine Grape: Müller-Thurgau
Müller-Thurgau is a hybrid white wine grape variety that Swiss Dr. Hermann Müller-Thurgau developed in 1882 at the Geisenheim Institute in Germany. Dr. Müller-Thurgau's goal was to create a vine that would produce grapes with Riesling's quality, elegance, and complexity, along with Sylvaner's early ripening and ease of growing. The vine produces a lot of fruit and is relatively easy to grow, but most often lacks Riesling's desired qualities. Strangely, DNA studies show that Müller-Thurgau is, in fact, from Riesling and a version of Chasselas.
Müller-Thurgau, much of which was used to make Liebfraumilch, was widely planted in Germany in the 1970s and 80s, even overtaking Riesling. Today, Müller-Thurgau is on decline in Germany, but it can produce fresh light wines of good quality in Italy's Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions.
Synonyms
Also known as Müller, Müller-Thurgaurebe, Muller Thurgeau, Mueller-Thurgau, Riesling-Sylvaner, Rivaner
Where
Germany: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Nahe, Pfalz, Rheinhessen
Italy: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige
Also: Austria, Croatia, England, Hungary, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Switzerland, USA (Oregon)
Principal Wines
Italy: Trentino-Alto Adige: Trentino DOC, Alto Adige or Dell'Alto Adige/Südtirol or Südtiroler DOC; Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Collio Goriziano or Collio DOC, Friuli-Aquileia DOC
Characteristics
Color: Straw yellow with green hues
Nose: Fruity (green apple, peach), Vegetal (herbs), Mineral
Palate: Light to medium body. Good balance between crispness and softness, as long as the grapes don't ripen too much.
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