The red grape variety originates from France. There are about 120 synonyms that indicate a great age. Some of them grouped alphabetically by country are Augustclevner, Augustklevner, Augustiner, Augusttraube, Blauer Augustiner, Blauer Frühburgunder, Frauentagtraube, Frauentraube, Frühblaue, Früher Blauer Burgunder, Frühschwarze, Jakobstraube, Juliustraube, Möhrchen, Schwarzer Frühzeitiger Burgunder (Germany u/o Austria); Jacobstraube (Alsace); Black Inly, Early Black Cluster, July Grape (England); Ischia, Madeleine Noir, Maurillon Hâtif, Morillon Noir Hâtif, Morillon Parisien, Petit Morillon Hâtif, Pinot Hâtif de Rilly, Pinot Madeleine, Pinot Noir Précoce, Pinot Précoce, Pinot Précoce Noir, Précoce Noir, Raisin de la Madeleine, Vigne d'Ischia (France); Luglienga Nera, Luviana Veronese, Maddalena Nera, Uva de Trivolte (Italy); Blauer Frühburgunder (Switzerland); Burgundské Modré Rane (Slovakia, Czech Republic); Juliusi Szölö, Korai Kék Kisburgundi, Szent Anna Szölö(Hungary).
It is a mutation of Pinot Noir; thus it belongs to the Pinot varieties (see there in detail). The name refers to the fact that it ripens about two weeks earlier than the original variety, which in this context is significantly called Spätburgunder in German. Despite seemingly suggestive synonyms or morphological similarities, it should not be confused with the early-ripening varieties Abouriou (Jacobstraube), Franc Noir de la Haute-Saône or St. Laur ent (Laurenziustraube). Madeleine Royale was bred from a seedling in 1845. The open-pollinated seedling Muscat Précoce de Saumur turned out to be a cross with Muscat Blanc. The vine was also a crossing partner of the new varieties Helfensteiner, Mairam and Volta. In 2005, it was included as a "passenger" of the "Ark of Taste". These are foodstuffs awarded by Slow Food that are worthy of protection/preservation.
It was mentioned in 1690 under Morillon Noir Hâtif and in 1762 under Madeleine Noir. However, it was not described as Pinot Noir Précoce by the ampelographer Giuseppe di Rovasenda (1824-1913) until 1877. The very early ripening, low-yielding vine is susceptible to coulure, but due to its thick-skinned berries it is resistant to botrytis. It produces ruby-red, extract-rich, fruity red wines with aromas of cherries and blackberries, but less storage potential than Pinot Noir. In the German growing region of Ahr, Frühburgunder was still one of the most frequently cultivated varieties at the beginning of the 20th century. Low yields, a tendency to coulure and infestation by viruses meant that in the 1960s, with a stock of only 15 hectares, the variety was almost extinct.
In the mid-1970s, it was revived by the Geisenheim Research Institute by selecting and establishing resistant clones. It now occupies 241 hectares of vineyards again, mostly in the three growing regions of Ahr, Pfalz and Rheinhessen. There are also small stands in Austria, Switzerland (1 ha) and Hungary (0.1 ha). In 2018, a total of 251 hectares of vineyards were reported (D-STATIS for Germany and Statistics Kym Anderson).
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)
