The red grape variety originates from France. Synonyms grouped alphabetically by country are Capbreton Rouge, Chauche Noir, Cruchenton Rouge, Sémillon Rouge, Terret d'Afrique, Tresseau, Troussé, Trousseau, Troussot, Trusiaux (France); Abrunhal, Bastardinha, Bastardinho, Bastardo, Tinta Lisboa (Portugal); Bastardio Chico, Bastardo, Bastardo do Castello, Bastardo do Douro, Bastardo dos Frados, Bastardo Negro, Bastardo Preto, Bolonio, Carnaz, Donzelino de Castille, Godello Tinto, María Ordoña, Maria Ordoñez, Maturana Tinta, Maturana Tinto, Maturano, Merenzao, Pinot Gris de Río Negro, Roibal, Tinta, Tintilla, Tintollo Borgolona, Verdejo, Verdejo Negro (Spain). It must not be confused with the varieties Alfrocheiro, Cabernet Pepper, Castelão Francês, Donzelinho Tinto, Pinot Noir, Tinta de Lisboa or Tressot Noir, despite seemingly suggestive synonyms or morphological similarities. Trousseau Noir is not a mutation of the white Maturana Blanca.
Its exact origin is most likely in eastern France in the Jura, where it was first mentioned in 1732 under the name Troussot. How it got from there to Spain and Portugal is unknown, but it has been cultivated there for many centuries under many different names. That the Portuguese Bastardo is identical was claimed by the ampelographer Alexandre P. Odart (1778-1866) as early as 1854. According to DNA analyses carried out most recently in 2018, it originates from a presumably natural cross between an unknown variety x Savagnin Blanc (Traminer). Direct descendants are the varieties Bastardo Espanhol, Plant de Mavault, Tinta de Lisboa, Tinta Fontes and Trincadeiro Branco, which are presumably natural crosses. The variety Trousseau Noir was a crossing partner in the new varieties Bastardo Magarachsky and Royalty. Three colour mutations of Trousseau Noir are Trousseau Gris (grey), cultivated in California and New Zealand under Gray Riesling, as well as Bastardo Blanco (white) and Bastardo Roxo (pink).
The early-maturing, high-yielding vine is susceptible to botrytis, as well as sensitive to frost. It produces dark-coloured, alcohol-rich, but rather low-acid red wines. In France, it is mainly cultivated in the Jura region on 45 hectares. In Spain, it is cultivated in Galicia and Rioja on 18 hectares. In Portugal, it is widespread in the areas of Bairrada, Beiras, Dão, Douro and the island of Madeira, where it is present in the famous Madeira, Mateus and Port wines and occupies 1,166 hectares. There are other small populations in Argentina (34 ha), Australia (0.2 ha), Switzerland (0.3 ha) and South Africa (0.1 ha). In 2016, a total of 1,263 hectares of vines were reported with a strong downward trend (Kym Anderson).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Image: By Arnaud 25 - Own Work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
