white grape · regional staple

Müller-Thurgau

Geisenheim, Rheingau, Germany

Say it

myoo·lertoor·gow

/ˌmjuːlər ˈtʊərɡaʊ/German

Named after Swiss botanist Hermann Müller and Canton Thurgau; the ü is Anglicized as 'oo' or 'yoo'; Thurgau rhymes with 'tour-gow' (not 'ger-ow')

On the palate

Body light

Acidity low

Aromatics medium

green applepearwhite peachlemonelderflowerpassionfruit

How you spot it blind: faint Muscat-derived florality undercut by inherently low acidity at high yields

The story

First written down · 1882, Geisenheim, Germany

Bred in 1882 at Geisenheim by Swiss botanist Hermann Müller from Riesling × Madeleine Royale — DNA confirmed in 2000, disproving the long-held Riesling × Sylvaner assumption that gave rise to the misleading 'Riesling-Sylvaner' synonym.

Family tree: Riesling Weiss × Madeleine Royale

Where it lives

Germany · Hungary · Italy (Trentino-Alto Adige) · Austria · Switzerland · New Zealand

Shows up as

still whitesweet

If you like this, try

SilvanerPinot Blanc →Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains →

Also answers to Rivaner.

Shop our Müller-Thurgau bottles