Grapes for White Wines

In every interesting family there are skeletons in the cupboard - a relative about whom "we don't talk" or a neighbour "we don't speak to". The vines of England have Muller Thurgau and the hybrid Seyval Blanc. We do not yet grow very much of the 'classic vines' - the Riesling, Muscat, Traminer or Cabernet Sauvignon. However, we increasingly grow Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Of the rest, the vines are the result of crossing and hybridisation carried out mainly in Germany which has climatic problems similar to our own. Behind many of these crosses lurks Muller Thurgau, a Riesling/Sylvaner cross developed by Herman Muller of Thurgau in Switzerland. Once, there were large acreages of this grape, but now very few vineyards grow it, prefering Bacchus, a similar cross.
Another of our skeletons is the EEC despised Seyval Blanc, a French/ American hybrid , deemed unsuitable for respectable wine growing countries (i.e. the French do not like it) and is banned from our Quality Wine scheme. However it grows well, is largely disease free and crops every year- hence its nickname of 'Save all'. It can be used to produce an excellent sparkling wine.
What is noticeable is the planting of vines especially for sparkling wine. In the south, this has meant the 3 tradional vines used in the Champagne, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. There has also been an increase in the planting of Frueburgunder, the early type of Pinot Noir.

Examples

	Bacchus Early ripening cross of Sylvaner, Riesling and Muller Thurgau . The Germans use it in suss reserve. Most English Bacchus wines are pleasantly scented and dry with a hint of Gewurztraminer and sauvignon blanc. Speciality of the Welsh Marches. See map on Home page. 10% of total planting . Status: Recommended	Large bunches, good crop, poor mildew resistance, harvest Mid-October
	Huxelrebe Slightly muscat flavoured wine. Popular amongst some major growers for single varietal wines (medium or dry depending on the year) Cross of Wiener Gudedal and Courtillier Musque. Risky but rewarding. Not everyone loves it. Comments from Martin Fowke of Three Choirs: It is hell to get started It's susceptible to frost it always looks sick It 'glops' in the press and doesn't have any free-flow of juice It clogs up filters after 10 minutes The public buy the wine as fast as we make it! Status: Recommended	Noble rot in good years
	Kerner New German cross-(Riesling x Black Hamburg) very popular there as a substitute for Reisling. Buds late and is less susceptible to frost. Wines have a better flavour than Muller Thurgau. Status: Authorised. 2% of total plantings	No resistance, large bunches, end of October
	Madeleine Angevine "Mad Angy" is descended from the French Madeleine d'Angevine and some mysterious German parent - the only known single-parent grape! It first appeared at Alzey in 1929. An early, heavy cropping, grape that crops early and is favoured in South Western vineyards. It grows as far north as Leeds.Many different clones seem to abound resulting in a wide range of flavours. 7% of total planting. Status: Recommended	Poor disease resistance, crops end September
	Ortega Cross of Muller Thurgau (!) , Madeleine Angevine and Gewurztraminer. Produces a scented tasty wine with a slight flavour of mango. Any wine with this one in is usually worth rolling around in the mouth. Status: Authorised. Total: 3% of plantings
	Optima Spicy cross of Sylvaner, Riesling and Muller Thurgau. This one really is incestuous! Status: Authorised	Medium crop, early October, no resistance
	Phoenix Bacchus X Villard Blanc.Gf. Ga-49-22 Bred in Geweilerhof Institute Increasingly popular disease resistant vine. Grown by Three Choirs, Heart of England, Wroxeter, Common Wood and several others	Reasonable mildew resistance
	Regner Luglienca Bianca x Gamay. Product of the Alzey Institute. Grown by Wroxeter who produce a delicate white excellent with salmon	Good yields with high sugars
	Reichensteiner Cross of Muller Thurgau, Madeleine Angevine and Calabresser Frohlich. Produces either a dry or medium dry wine with a 'honeyed' background taste. Occupies about 12.3% of acreage Status: Recommended	Good crop, no resistance, early October
	Rivaner Posh name for Muller Thurgau, - an abbreviation for Reisling Sylvaner. Declining, but still amounts to 13% of total plantings.	No resistance, good cropper, ripens early October
	Schonburger One of UKs best varietals with distinct guwurztraminer and muscat tones Status: Recommended. 8% of total plantings	No resistance, ripens mid-October, good crop
	Siegerrebe Another crossing produced at Alzey from Madeliene Angevine and Gewurztraminer. This is a very early variety with pleasant light floral tones. Revels in Summer heat-waves, low in production and beloved of wasps. However it is well worth growing. Status: Authorised	Low crop, no resistance, ripens end of September
	Solaris Derived from a Merzling x (Saperavi Severny x Muscat Ottonel) cross. (N.B: The latter pairing is also known by the technical name Geisenheim GM 6493). Grown at Ryedale Vineyard in Yorkshire, Wroxeter and Ludlow Vineyard	Yields a rich, flavoursome white wine with hints of muscat and honey.

White Grape varieties grown in the UK 1996 (2004 figures in brackets)
Variety	Hectares	2004 (%age)
Huxelrebe	47.53 (28.5)	3.75
Madeliene Angevine	62.21 (48.4)	6.36
Muller Thurgau	134.64 (81.1)	10.66
Reichensteiner	117.35 (88.5)	11.64
Schonburger	76.11 (51.6)	6.77
Seyval Blanc	108.53 (93.7)	12.32
Auxerrois	9.9 (8.9)	<1.0
Bacchus	89.33 (74.4)	9.77
Cascade	2.94 (0.15)	<0.3
Chardonnay	34.96 (35.6)	4.68
Faber	11.94 (11)	<1
Kerner	22.67 (10.3)	<1
Ortega	29.41 (23.4)	3.08
Wurzer	12.49	<1

Production	2000 Hectolitres	2007- Hltrs
White table wine	12748	4754
Quality wine psr	1949	2997

Ukvines- Vineyards of England and Wales

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