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Mini Review Volume 9 Issue 4
About the origin of the grapevine cultivar Blaufränkisch
F Regner, B Mann
Received: October 10, 2025 | Published: November 28, 2025
Citation: Regner F, Mann B. About the origin of the grapevine cultivar Blaufränkisch. Horticult Int J. 2025;9(4):191-195. DOI: 10.15406/hij.2025.09.00343
Abstract
An exciting field of the viticultural history is the use and development of grapevine cultivars during the centuries. In ampelography nowadays genetic SSR markers are used to identify the relationships between the grape varieties. In this way, heritages and grapevine families could be defined. Furthermore it is also possible to draw conclusions about the origin of a cultivar. However, this conclusion should also be comprehensible with historical literature. This procedure has been applied successfully with many cultivars in Central Europe. Unfortunately, there exist also varieties where it is not quite easy to draw conclusions about the origin from the parental vines. In the specific case of Blaufränkisch, it has been clear for a long time that this variety descends from the Heunisch grapevine and shows a closeness to the Wildbacher Blau. However, the second parental variety Sbulzina cannot be clearly assigned in the German-speaking world and consequently it is difficult to determine where it could have been raised. In addition, in earlier times a mixed set was often cultivated in the vineyards. Neither all members of the set were exactly determined nor described. The special feature of Blaufränkisch is also the regionally different designation and consequently a large number of synonyms, some of which were also used for other varieties. On the base of the literature, its use is undoubtedly documented as early as the 18th century. Only a few synonyms have survived to nowadays and can therefore be used as direct evidence. Overall, however, the literature already gives a clear indication of where the variety first gained importance and probably originated there. In the case of Blaufränkisch, the origin from Austria is the most likely variant. The origin is particularly located in the wine-growing region south of Vienna.
Keywords: grapevine, heritage, genetic fingerprint
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