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Synonym

Designation for words or terms that have the same meaning/similar meaning but are phonetically different. For example, "Weinhauer", "Weinbauer" and " Winzer" or "Besenwirtschaft", " Buschenschank", " Heckenwirtschaft", "Heuriger " and "Straußwirtschaft" or "Böttcher" and " Küfer" or "Keltern" and " Pressen" or "Vinifikation", "Vinification", "Weinherstellung" and " Weinbereitung " - but also " Keltern". Words with exactly the same meaning are rare, however; there is often a difference in meaning or value. For example, "head and head", "home and home", "picture and painting", "leaf and foliage" as well as "vine and vine".

Synonym - Blaufränkisch, Garnacha Tinta, Plavay, Riesling, Traminer

Especially in the case of very old, widespread grape varieties, there are 30, 40, 50 or more mainly country-specific synonyms for a variety and its varieties. Grape varieties with over 100 synonyms are, for example, Beba, Blaufränkisch, Garnacha Tinta (Grenache Noir), Kadarka, Mazuelo, Plavay, Riesling and Traminer. Often, these are groups of grape varieties under which play varieties (almost identical clones or mutants), but also similar, closely related but genotypically independent varieties are grouped together. Examples are Lambrusco, Malvasia, Muscat, Pinot, Refosco, Trebbiano and Vernaccia.

Synonym and homonym

Conversely, varieties that are similar or that grow together in a vineyard have sometimes been grouped together under a single name (homonym), although genotypically they are independent grape varieties. In a broader sense, synonyms used for several grape varieties are also to be understood as homonyms. The border between varieties and clones is sometimes difficult to draw without DNA analysis. Synonyms should therefore be viewed with great caution, especially in the case of old grape varieties. Often the same or similar synonyms were used for different grape varieties. This may, but by no means must, indicate the same identity or relationship. It is not uncommon for names of clearly distinct varieties to be used as synonyms for others. This can be morphological similarities in grape shape, colour (e.g. Roussette as part of the name) or shape of berries (e.g. olive, cherry), shoots and leaves as well as taste components (crunchy berries), characteristics (e.g. debt payer) or even origin (area, wine-growing region).

Multiple names

Multiple names are partly due to the fact that many varieties used to stand together as Gemischter Satz in vineyards. Examples are Elbling, Gouais Blanc and Orléans. This often resulted in confusion and incorrect naming. Other inaccuracies and multiple use of names for different varieties are also due to poor record-keeping. In the 19th century, repeated attempts were made to associate local varieties with those in the international literature, often without direct knowledge of the foreign varieties. For example, French varieties were simply assigned to similar varieties in Austria because they were thought to be identical.

Often it turned out much later that they were different varieties and that the synonymous assignment was based on an original misnomer (pseudonym). Synonyms can therefore only ever be indications, and one needs additional variety descriptions, picture plates and vine plants to be able to check the correct assignment to a variety. At many viticultural institutes worldwide, attempts are now being made to clarify the many unanswered questions by means of molecular genetic DNA analyses, for which, however, living vine material is required. However, this material is often misnamed and does not always represent the variety whose name it bears. Such an error occurred in the determination of the father variety of Müller-Thurgau.

Synonyms in the Wine lexicon

In the present Wine lexicon an attempt has been made to indicate the genotypic identity (i.e. "identical with grape variety XY") or to explicitly mention still existing ambiguities or assumptions. Given the diversity of grapevine varieties and the often confusing relationships between them, uncertainties or errors cannot be ruled out. However, not only in the case of grape varieties, but also in the case of viticulture in general, there are many synonyms for numerous terms, which differ not only from country to country, but often from region to region and place to place. This circumstance has been taken into account in this work and, for reasons of user-friendliness, the most frequent synonyms for many terms have been included as a separate keyword with reference to the main name. On this subject, see also Vine systematics, Variety and variety.

Vine varieties: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)

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The world's largest Lexicon of wine terms.

26,367 Keywords · 46,924 Synonyms · 5,323 Translations · 31,701 Pronunciations · 201,867 Cross-references
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