Home › Grapes › Müller-Thurgau
Müller-Thurgau grape
Müller-Thurgau is a white grape known for pear, floral, peach. Its best-known homes are Germany.
Origin and history
Bred in 1882 at Geisenheim by Hermann Müller, a Swiss from Thurgau; DNA proved it Riesling × Madeleine Royale, not Riesling × Silvaner.
Where it grows
Germany (Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden, Franken), Alto Adige, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Hungary, England and New Zealand.
Structure
Light to medium body, low to moderate acidity; usually dry to off-dry and unoaked.
Aromas, young and aged
Young: pear, peach, white flowers and a slightly musky, grapey note. Rarely made to age.
Ageing
Best drunk young, within 1–3 years; a few high-altitude Alto Adige examples hold for around 5 years.
Also known as
Rivaner, Riesling-Sylvaner.
Good to know
It was once Germany's most planted grape and the backbone of mass-market Liebfraumilch; Riesling has since overtaken it.
Similar white grapes
Explore all grapes in the interactive guide
The Wine Reference newsletter
New wines, stories and career guides, one email a week at most.
Over 18s only. Unsubscribe any time with one click. Your email is stored securely by Kit and never shared.
Support The Wine Reference
This guide is free, with no paywall. If it helped you choose a bottle, you can buy me a glass and keep it growing.
🍷 Buy me a glass