User:Encycloshave/sandbox wine/Tempranillo

Tempranillo blanco mutation
In 1988, Jesús Galilea Esteban found a cluster of white grapes on a Tempranillo vine in his vineyard, Murillo de Rio Leza, located in Rioja. He removed the cluster, leaving a heel which in turn produced two buds of white grapes. Galilea then contacted the Rioja government agency CIDA, who grafted the buds at their research station in February 1989.

CIDA confirmed with DNA evidence that, apart from the leaves and fruit being a little smaller, the new plants were identical to normal Tempranillo in most respects. The most notable difference was that the grape skins were green-yellow rather than the usual blue-black, due to a natural mutation in a single skin colour gene. Similar mutations appear to have happened in many other grape varieties, such as Pinot Noir and Grenache.

The white Tempranillo grape reproduces asexually. Much like a clone, this allows for identical genes. In fact, the genetic similarity between the red and white variety is of 97.8%. The early ripening cycle makes possible its cultivation in any subzone of the DOC since the entire cycle can be completed even in the zones where ripening occurs later. The white Tempranillo has a medium yield (7500–9000 kilograms per hectare), and medium to high vine vigor. In one example it was reported to have a titratable acidity of 6.9 g/L.

Once the mutation had stabilized, CIDA expanded collection to 100 vines in 1993 and began making wine on an experimental scale. The first bottling of wine occurred in 2005, from a hectare of vines planted in 2000. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, with aging done in oak barrels. The green-tinged wine had discreet aromas of flowers and tropical fruit such as pineapple, refreshing to drink but lacking a little in acidity. White Tempranillo is currently being distributed to state-registered growers. In 2007, producers in Basque Country, Navarra, and Rioja were authorized to produce and sell White Tempranillo, or Tempranillo Blanco.

Synonyms
Aldepenas, Aragones, Aragonêz (Portugal), Aragonez Da Ferra, Aragonez de Elvas, Arganda, Arinto Tinto, Cencibel (Castile La Mancha, Madrid, Aragón, Extremadura, Murcia), Cencibera, Chinchillana (Extremadura), Chinchillano, Chinchilyano, Cupani, Escobera (Extremadura, S. America), Garnacho Foño (S.America), Grenache de Logrono, Jacibiera (Castile La Mancha, S. America), Jacivera, Juan Garcia, Negra de Mesa, Ojo de Liebre, Olho de Lebre, Sensibel, Tempranilla, Tempranillo de la Rioja, Tempranillo de Perralta, Tempranillo de Rioja, Tempranillo de Rioza, Tinta Aragones, Tinta de Santiago, Tinta de Toro, Tinta Do Inacio, Tinta Monteira, Tinta Monteiro, Tinta Roriz (Portugal), Tinta Roriz Da Penajola, Tinta Santiago, Tinto Aragon, Tinto Aragonez, Tinto de la Ribera, Tinto de Madrid (Toledo, Cantabria, Salamanca, Soria, Valladolid, Madrid), Tinto del País (Castile/Leon, Rioja), Tinto de Rioja, Tinto de Toro (Zamora), Tinto del Toro, Tinto Fino (Castile/Leon, Madrid, Valencia, Extremadura, Rioja), Tinto Madrid, Tinto Pais, Tinto Ribiera, Tinto Riojano, Ull de Llebre (Catalan for "Eye of the Hare"), Valdepeñas (also in California), Verdiell (Catalonia), Vid de Aranda (Burgos), Tinta Santiago (S. America) and Tinta Montereiro (S. America).

Copied from Tempranillo 17 May 2012