Origin: Bacchus was bred by Peter Morio and Bernhard Husfeld from the Institut für Rebenzüchtung Geilweilerhof in Siebeldinggen (Palatinate). It was approved in Germany in 1972 when it was entered in the list of varieties. The grape variety is mainly cultivated in Germany and England.

Interbreeding: (Silvaner x Riesling) x Müller-Thurgau.

Characteristics: The yield is high. The bud burst and ripening time is medium early. The white wine variety is medium to strong-growing and the wood maturity is good. The variety is easily attacked by berry botrytis, especially on heavy, moist soils and in too dense, leafy stands. Due to the early bud break time, the variety is susceptible to late frost.

Grape: The grape is dense, shouldered and medium sized. The berries are also medium sized and oval to roundish. When ripe, they turn light green and have a slight nutmeg flavour.

Wine: The wine is floral and fruity, with a slight muscat tone. Bacchus has an aromatic effect when blended with neutral grape varieties such as Silvaner. The grape variety is mostly used for fresh quality wines, less often for late harvest times and selections.

Cultivation: Deep, fresh, nutrient-rich soils are conducive to quality. Cold soils with a tendency to accumulate moisture should be avoided. Due to its early ripeness and high ripeness stages, the variety can also be cultivated in locations that are largely unsuitable for Riesling. Bacchus needs a lot of water, dryness damages occur on dry sites.

CLONES

• We carry the proven clone Gf 1 as standard in our variety programme.