Variety
WhiteBacchus
An aromatic crossing (1933) – elderflower, blackcurrant, gooseberry, in good hands like a lush Sauvignon Blanc. A Franken and Rheinhessen speciality.
Portrait
Bacchus was bred in 1933 by Peter Morio and Bernhard Husfeld at the grape-breeding institute Geilweilerhof in Pfalz, as a cross of (Silvaner × Riesling) and Müller-Thurgau. It bears the name of the Roman god of wine. From the 1970s it spread in Rheinhessen, on the Mosel and in Pfalz, and later also became important in England.
The vine buds early, ripens early and gives high yields; it is undemanding but susceptible to botrytis. The wines are aromatic, with elderflower, muscat, gooseberry and citrus, with mild acidity. They are mostly made dry to off-dry and drunk young.
Bacchus goes with asparagus, salads, fish and light cooking and suits use as an aperitif wine.
Taste profile
Six axes — acidity, sweetness, body, tannin, aroma intensity and depth — on a 0–5 scale, based on typical style. Real wines vary by region and producer.
Typical aromas — Bacchus
These 5 aromas typically define Bacchus. Actual taste experience varies by region and style.
Elderflower
Gooseberry
Blackcurrant
Mango
Nutmeg
Bacchus aroma families
These aroma categories are characteristic of Bacchus. Other varieties have different focuses.
Fruit aromas are the most common and come directly from the grape, ranging from citrus through stone fruit to black berries.
Floral aromas are especially marked in aromatic varieties like Riesling and Gewürztraminer.
Herbal aromas can be finely aromatic (sage) or grassy – a stylistic feature in some varieties, ripeness indicator in others.
Key regions
Bacchus is grown in the following regions of our atlas. Click to see wineries.
Wineries with Bacchus
135 curated profiles in our atlas grow Bacchus.
135 wineries
Weingut Aldinger
Württemberg · Remstal · Fellbach
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Pinot Noir
Weingut A.J. Adam
Mosel · Mittelmosel · Neumagen-Dhron
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Müller-Thurgau
Divino Nordheim Thüngersheim
Franken · Volkacher Mainschleife · Nordheim am Main
Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus
GWF Winzergemeinschaft Franken
Franken · Würzburg & Maindreieck · Kitzingen
Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Bacchus
Weingut Scherner-Kleinhanß
Rheinhessen · Wonnegau · Flörsheim-Dalsheim
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Sauvignon Blanc
Weingut Dahlem
Rheinhessen · Roter Hang · Oppenheim
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Pinot Noir
Weingut Rudi Rüttger
Pfalz · Leiningerland (Nordpfalz) · Neuleiningen
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Pinot Noir
Weingut Schmidt
Nahe · Obere Nahe & Alsenz-Glan · Obermoschel
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Chardonnay
Weingut "Alter Weinhof"
Mosel · Mittelmosel · Erden
Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay