Ortega is a grape variety used for white wine. It was created in 1948 by Hans Breider at the Bayerischen Landesanstalt für Wein-, Obst- und Gartenbau in Würzburg and was released with varietal protection in 1981.[1] It is a cross between Müller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe.[2] Breider chose to name the variety in honour of the Spanish poet and philosopher José Ortega y Gasset.
| Ortega | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 | |
| Color of berry skin | Blanc |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | Würzburg B 48-21-4 |
| Origin | Germany |
| Notable regions | Rheinhessen |
| VIVC number | 8811 |
Ortega ripens early, is not sensitive to frost and reaches quite high must weights, typically 20 degrees Oechsle higher than Müller-Thurgau. It is therefore often used for sweet wines, which are considered to improve with cellaring. Ortega wines have aromas of Muscat and peach and are high in extract.[1]
Ortega is also used as a table grape.
In 2016, there were 475 hectares (1,170 acres) of Ortega in Germany, with a decreasing tendency.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b Wein-Plus Glossar: Ortega, accessed January 23, 2013
- ^ Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Ortega Archived 2012-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, accessed on April 13, 2008
- ^ German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2017-2018