Merzling is a white grape

Grape

A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...

 variety used for wine

Wine

Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...

. It was bred in 1960 by Johannes Zimmermann at the viticultural institute in Freiburg

Freiburg

Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 by crossing Seyve-Villard 5276

Seyval Blanc

Seyval Blanc is a hybrid wine grape variety used to make white wines. Its vines ripen early, are productive and are suited to fairly cool climates.Seyval Blanc is grown mainly in England, and the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, as well as to a lesser extent in Canada...

 with the cross Riesling

Riesling

Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...

 x Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris

Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...

.

The variety was initially known under its breeding code FR 993-60, and was later named after Merzhausen

Merzhausen

Merzhausen is a town in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.*...

, a location on the southern edge of Freiburg where some of the vineyards of the institute are located. It received varietal protection in 1993.

Properties

Merzling ripens early, give high yields and shows good resistance against fungal diseases and spring frosts. Its wines are similar to those of Müller-Thurgau

Müller-Thurgau

Müller-Thurgau is a variety of white grape which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882. It is a crossing of Riesling with Madeleine Royale. It is used to make white wine in Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, Hungary, England, in Australia, Czech Republic, Slovakia,...

.

Offspring

Due to its resistance against fungal diseases, Merzling and Merzling offspring has been used as a crossing partner for many other new crossings, including Baron, Bronner

Bronner (grape)

Bronner is a white grape variety used for wine. It was bred in 1975 by Norbert Becker at the viticultural institute in Freiburg, Germany. The variety was initially known under its breeding code FR 250-75, and was later named in honour of Johann Philipp Bronner , who was a German pharmacist and...

, Cabernet Cantor, Cabernet Carol, Cabernet Cortis

Cabernet Cortis

Cabernet Cortis is a dark-skinned grape variety used for wine. It was bred in 1982 by Norbert Becker at the viticultural institute in Freiburg, Germany as part of a programme searching for disease-resistant grape varieties...

, Helios, Monarch, Prior and Solaris

Solaris (grape)

Solaris is a variety of grape used for white wine. It was created in 1975 at the grape breeding institute in Freiburg, Germany by Norbert Becker.- Pedigree :...

.