Müller-Thurgau: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
| Müller-Thurgau: This is a white grape variety created by Swiss botanist, Hermann Müller, from the Canton of Thurgau in 1882, while at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in Pfalz, Germany. It is a crossing of Riesling with Madeleine Royale (itself a crossing of Pinot and Trollinger). The intention was to combine the intensity and complexity of the Riesling grape with the ability to ripen earlier in the season. It was, in the 1970s, Germany’s most planted variety, it later slipped to second and is now third (after Riesling and Pinot noir). The oldest and most successful new cultivar to have spread throughout the world. It is the major ingredient in Liebfraumilch and Germany’s other cheap blends. It became unpopular and was replaced with higher-quality varieties such as Riesling and Silvaner.  Image source: windhamwines.com |
 Image source: glossary.wein.plus Taste/smell: It has sweet peach aromas with low acid. It has notes of flint, lemon, lime and rose petals. Varieties/Mutations In 1996, Chasselas seemed to be a valid candidate as a parent of the grape, and in 1997 the variety Admirable de Courtiller was specified. However, this was later shown to be wrong. There are seven certified Müller-Thurgau clones. | Description: It has medium-sized leaves, circular with five lobes, and a twisted middle lobe. Grapes grow in medium to large cylindrical clusters, and have ellipsoid, greenish-yellow berries. The flesh has a faint muscat flavour.  Image source: austrianwine.com Müller-Thurgau is often blended with other white wine varieties to produce young cuvées that are intended to be drunk straight away. The tips of young shoots have a medium density of prostrate hairs. Adult leaves are medium and circular, with five lobes, have teeth with straight sides and on the lower side of the leaves, a low density of erect hairs. |
| Müller-Thurgau producing countries: Big Five Producers: (overall 42% of vineyards, 64% of wine production and 41% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Spain: not detected France: Lorraine, Moselle and Obermosel Italy: Trentino–Alto Adige, Sicily USA: Oregon, Washington Chile: Casablanca Valley, Curicó Valley, Elqui Valley, Maule Valley, Maipo Valley Next Ten Largest Producers: (with big five, responsible overall for 75% of vineyards, 88% of wine production, 64% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Argentina: La Rioja, Mendoza, Salta, San Juan Australia: Ballarat, Geelong, Mudgee, New South Wales, Tasmania China: not detected Germany: Baden, Franconia, Mosel, Nahe, Palatinate, Rheinhessen, Saale-Unstrut India: not detected New Zealand: Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Martinborough (much replaced by Sauvignon Blanc) Portugal: not detected Romania: not detected South Africa: not detected Turkey: not detected Others countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Hungary, Japan, Luxembourg, Moldavia, Netherlands, Northern Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK | Grape is also known as: Miler Turgau, Müller, Müller-Thurgaurebe, Müllerka, Müllerovo, Muller-Thurgeau, Mullerka, Mullerovo, Riesling-Silvaner, Riesling-Sylvamer, Riesling x Silavaner, Rivaner, Rizanec, Rizlingsilvani, Rizlingszilvani, Rizlingzilvani, Rizvanac, Rizvanac Bijeli, Rizvanec, Rizvaner. |
Image source: austrianwine.com
Müller-Thurgau: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
