The red grape variety originates from the border region Romania/Ukraine; the name means "black grandmother". About a hundred synonyms testify to the wide distribution and great age of the vine. The most important ones, grouped alphabetically by country, are Serexia Noir (France); Poamă Rară Neagră, Rășchirată, Rastopyrka, Rastriopa, Rostopiska, Serecsia Ciornaia, Serecsia Ciornaya (Moldova); Großmuttertraube, Hexentraube, Rossmuffertraube (Germany, Austria); Băbească, Căldărușă, Căldărușe, Crăcană, Crăcanătă, Crangană, Neagră Băbească, Niagră Rară, Rară Neagră, Rășchirată, Rimpurate, Rympurate (Romania); Asîl Kara (Russia); Chernyi Redkii, Sereksia (Ukraine); Loose Black Grape, Sereksiya, Serexia Black (USA).
There were first documentary mentions as early as the 14th century. The ancestry is unknown, possibly the parent varieties are already extinct. Colour mutations are Băbească Albă and Băbească Gris. The variety was a crossing partner in the new varieties Alutus, Arcas, Balada (1), Codana, Codrinski, Cristina, Ketrosy and Mamaia. The late-maturing vine is susceptible to both powdery mildew, botrytis and drought, but resistant to frost down to minus 20 °Celsius. It produces light red, fruity, acid-rich red wines with sour cherry aroma and is also used as table grape. In Romania, the variety is mainly cultivated in the region of Moldova (Cotesti, Nicoresti, Odobesti, Panciu). The total area under vines is 2,696 hectares, with a declining trend. Further stocks are said to exist in Moldova, Ukraine and Canada. In 2016, however, only the Romanian stocks were reported (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012.
Grape: By Lebowskyclone - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Leaf: By Lebowskyclone - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
Stamp: By Post of Moldova, Public Domain, Link
