The red grape variety originates from Turkey; the name means "Black of Merzifon". The parentage is unknown. According to DNA analyses carried out in 2003, the long-standing assumption that it was identical to the Italian variety Marzemino was refuted. This false assumption and associated mention in Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni" had curiously led to a certain cultivation boom. There is also a red variety called Merzifon Siyahi; nothing is known about a possible relationship. The medium to late maturing vine is generally resistant to vine diseases. It is grown in the province of Amasya, close to the Black Sea, in the central north of the country. However, no stocks were reported in 2016 (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
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Markus J. Eser
Weinakademiker und Herausgeber „Der Weinkalender“