Have you ever wondered who crossbred Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in order to create Cabernet Sauvignon? Me neither. But someone did create it and no one will ever know who. Which makes it kind of interesting when you find a grape that we do know who created it. Muller (it has an umlaut but I don't know how to type that, so use you imagination) Thurgau (no umlaut) is the second most widely planted varietal in Germany and you have never heard of it. Muller (umlaut) Thurgan (no umlaut) was created by Hermann Muller (umlaut) a botanist born in 1850 in Thurgau Switzerland when he tried to crossbreed Riesling and Silvaner and failed by accidentally crossbreeding Riesling and Madeline Royale. He was trying to create a hardy grape that could withstand the not-french-at-all climate and soils of central Europe. And boy did he succeed at that. He ended up with a early ripening high yield grape that makes a mild fruit forward low acid wine that blends perfectly with Riesling to make say a Piesporter or Liebfraumilch. But I like the Italian version.
Case in point (you knew I had to get to the point eventually didn't you?) Marco Donati, Trentino, Muller Thurgau, Albeggio, A great austere,but approachable (remember fruit-forward and low acid?) wine from northern Italy. The name, i'ts not as confusing as it seems, "Marco Donati" is the winery, "Trentino" is where it's from, "Muller Thurgau" and "Alebggio" is the name--I think, I admit I'm not terribly sure anyway according to the internet "alebeggio" is Italian for "the first-person singular present indicative of albeggiere" I hope that helps.
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