The red grape variety originates from Italy. There are around 100 synonyms, which indicates that the vine is very old. Some of them are Abendrot, Abendroth, Blauer Blank, Blauer Hainer, Blauer Kracher, Blauer Rosszagler, Bleda Cerna, Bleda Zherna, Cerna, Chorkutsa Rozovaya, Chorkutsa Rozove, Columella Variegata, Crljenak, Heninger Blau, Jalovna Modrina, Krishatna, Modrina, Peles, Pelesovna, Piles, Pilesovna, Plagner, Plagnes, Pljuskavac, Prčevac, Prčevac Crvenkasti, Prčevac Jedri, Prčevac Sarica, Rogoznička, Rosszagler, Rothhainer, Schilcher, Šijaka, Voulpia, Vulpe, Vulpoaica, Vulpya and Zwergstock. Some synonyms are also used for the varieties Blauer Wildbacher (Blauer Kracher, Schilcher), Hanns (Abendrot) and Žametovka (Blauer Hainer). However, nothing is known about possible connections. The synonym Columella Variegata refers to the Roman author Columella (1st century); possibly a reference to a variety or possible ancestor mentioned by him.
According to DNA analyses carried out in 2021, it originates from a presumably natural cross between an unknown parent variety x Visparola. Vulpea was a parent of the varieties Aghedene, Blauer Augster, Glera Lunga, Gyöngy Fehér, Piccola Nera, Ranfol, Sinkavake Zlute, Tsulukidzis Tetra and Vékonyhéjú. The variety used to be widespread in Central and Eastern Europe. Under Blauer Hainer, a variety is cultivated in small stands in Styria (Austria), possibly Vulpea. In 2016, no stands were reported under the name Vulpea (Kym Anderson).
Pictures: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)
