Ortega (grape)
Ortega is a grape variety used for white wine. It was created in 1948 by Hans Breider at the Bayerischen Landesanstalt für Wein-, Obst- und Gartenbau in Würzburg and was released with varietal protection in 1981.[1] It is a cross between Müller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe.[2] Breider chose to name the variety in honour of the Spanish poet and philosopher José Ortega y Gasset.
| Ortega | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
|  | |
| Color of berry skin | Blanc | 
| Species | Vitis vinifera | 
| Also called | Würzburg B 48-21-4 | 
| Origin | Germany | 
| Notable regions | Rheinhessen | 
| VIVC number | 8811 | 
Ortega ripens early, is not sensitive to frost and reaches quite high must weights, typically 20 degrees Oechsle higher than Müller-Thurgau. It is therefore often used for sweet wines, which are considered to improve with cellaring. Ortega wines have aromas of Muscat and peach and are high in extract.[1]
Ortega is also used as a table grape.
In 2016, there were 475 hectares (1,170 acres) of Ortega in Germany, with a decreasing tendency.[3]
References
    
- Wein-Plus Glossar: Ortega, accessed January 23, 2013
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Ortega Archived 2012-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, accessed on April 13, 2008
- German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2017-2018