Black Spanish

Species: 

• Natural hybrid crossing

Type:

• Noir

Origin:

• Unknown, possibly the US or Mexico.

Parents:

• Unknown.  Believed to be a cross between Vitis aestivalis and Vitis vinifera.

Principal Regions:

• Northern Mexico and southern US.  Also grown in Brazil.

Viticulture:

• A dark-skinned variety with large clusters and small berries with an open structure.  While resistant to powdery mildew and Pierce’s Disease (Xylella fastidiosa), it can be susceptible to other fungal diseases (e.g., anthracnose, black rot, grapevine trunk diseases, downy mildew, etc.).  
• It is well adapted to moderate or hot climates.
• Maintains good acidity despite often high pH levels and can produce high potential alcohol levels at harvest.

Sensory Characteristics:

• Black Spanish displays jammy boysenberry and elderberry flavors, with bright and crisp  acidity.  Tannins are medium to medium+.  May exhibit a “foxy” flavor or aroma that is is characteristic of some hybrids.

Food Pairings:

• Black Spanish pairs exceptionally well with BBQ meats.

History:

• Due to its propensity to grow well in Texas, the variety was often cultivated for communion wine production at early Texas missions. 
• This application for communion wine made the variety widely cultivated and available to home wine makers during the prohibition era.

Notes:

• Also known as Lenoir.
• Often made into juices and jellies as well as wine.
• Well-suited to the production of port-style dessert wines.

Other Names:

Alabama, Black El Paso, Black July, Black Spanish, Black Spanish Alabama, Blue French, Blue French Grape, Burgundy, Cigar Box, Cigar Box Grape, Clarence, Devereaux, El Paso, French Grape, Jac, Jack, Jack Grape, Jacqueje, Jacques, Jacquet, Jaques, July Cherry, Lenoir, Long Laliman, Longworth’s Ohio, Mac Candless, Mac Condless, Ohio, Segar, Segar Box, Segarbox Longworth, Sherry Of The South, Springstein, Sumpter, The Black, Thurmond, Tintiglia I, Troya, Vitis Bourgquinia (Munson), Warren, Zakez, Zsake