cabernet franc, 1 of parent varieties of merlot.
in late 1990s, researchers @ university of california, davis showed merlot offspring of cabernet franc , half-sibling of carménère, malbec , cabernet sauvignon. identity of second parent of merlot wouldn t discovered till late 2000s when obscure , unnamed variety, first sampled in 1996 vines growing in abandoned vineyard in saint-suliac in brittany, shown dna analysis mother of merlot.
this grape, later discovered in front of houses decorative vine in villages of figers, mainxe, saint-savinien , tanzac in poitou-charentes colloquially known madeleina or raisin de la madeleine due propensity ripe , ready harvest around july 22nd feast day of mary magdalene. connection merlot became known, grape formally registered under name magdeleine noire des charentes. through relationship magdeleine noire des charentes merlot related southwest france wine grape abouriou, though exact nature of relationship (with abouriou potentially being either parent of magdeleine noire or offspring) not yet known.
grape breeders have used merlot crossed other grapes create several new varieties including carmine (an olmo grape made crossing carignan x cabernet sauvignon cross merlot), ederena (with abouriou), evmolpia (with mavrud), fertilia (with raboso veronese), mamaia (a romanian wine grape made crossing muscat ottonel x babeasca negra cross merlot), nigra (with barbera), prodest (with barbera) , rebo (with teroldego).
over years, merlot has spawned color mutation used commercially, pink-skinned variety known merlot gris. however, unlike relationship between grenache noir , grenache blanc or pinot noir , pinot blanc, variety known merlot blanc not color mutation rather offspring variety of merlot crossing folle blanche.
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