Regent

By Lisa Rowlands

Created in Germany in the late nineteen-sixties and released for cultivation in the mid-nineteen-nineties, the grape was produced with the aim of establishing an age-worthy, deep-red variety that could flourish in cooler climates and is largely resistant to common viticultural hazards. The resultant grape thrives on a variety of soils so long as the drainage is good, produces relatively high yields and resists most fungal disease, making it a good choice for producers of organic wines.

Today, the Regent grape variety is grown across various German regions, most notably Rheinhessen and Palatinate (Pfalz) - from where it originates. Small amounts are also cultivated and vinified - as both mono-varietal and blend - in a number of appellations within the German Speaking region of Switzerland, in the United Kingdom and unsurprisingly given its heritage, in some of the cooler-climate states of America.

Named after the Regent Diamond - a one-hundred-and-forty-one carat jewel housed in the Louvre in Paris, the grape was originally used to add colour to red blends. However, in recent years, mono-varietal Regent wines have begun to emerge with the best examples being oak-aged versions from Germany.