This material is prepared based on the original historical research from the section "Histoire de l'ampélographie" ("History of Ampelography") authored by Ch. Tallavignes, published in the first volume of the classic "Ampélographie" edited by P. Viala and V. Vermorel (Macon, 1901–1910).
Printing and the New Viticulture of Europe
The second half of the 15th century was marked by the great invention of Johannes Gutenberg, which rapidly and forever transformed the intellectual world of humanity. For the science of the vine, the printing press became a powerful catalyst. The first books to be mass-produced right after the Bible were precisely the works of ancient Latin agrologists and medieval compendiums. Interest in the printed word regarding land and the vine only intensified in the 16th century, sparking a rapid expansion of national ampelography in the key winemaking countries of Europe.
The Spanish School: Winemaking and the Treatises of Alonso de Herrera
Spain was among the first to establish its presence in the printed word, thanks to the scholar Alonso de Herrera. In 1513, he published his famous treatise "Book on Agriculture" (Obra de Agricultura). Herrera modestly added in the subtitle that his work was "compiled from various authors." Indeed, Herrera drew heavily upon the rich legacy of ancient agrologists and the Italian Pietro Crescenzi; however, like his predecessors, he infused the text with a vivid personal touch and immense local experience. The success of his treatise proved to be remarkably durable and long-lasting.
For the history of viticulture, the second book of his treatise, dedicated entirely to the vine, holds specific significance. Herrera described sixteen grape varieties in detail. Notably, his texts completely omit descriptions of the vine leaf structure — all of the author's attention is focused on the characteristics of the clusters, berries, the properties of the resulting wine, and the soil types that best suit each plant. Herrera shared Virgil's view that grape varieties are infinite in number, and no man can hope to know them all. At the same time, he clearly recorded that every country possesses a unique authocthonous selection, and Spanish vines fundamentally differ from Italian ones.
Spanish Grape Varieties Described by Herrera: Arvillas, Torrontés, Moscatel, Ciguente, Jaen, Heben, Alarixe, Vinoso, Castellàno blanco, Malvasia, Layrenes, Castellanasprietas, Palomina, Aragones, Tortozon, Herrial.
An Example of a 16th-Century Ampelographic Description (Torrontés Variety): "The Torrontés is a white grape with a small berry that is more translucent than any other. It has small and rather loose clusters. This vine performs much better in relatively elevated and dry locations than in low-lying plains, because it has a very fine, tender skin and rots quickly from excess moisture. Its shoots are so slender that they are largely spread out at harvest time, carpeting the soil; that is why one must choose for this plant neither a humid location nor too steep, exposed ridges. The wine from this vine is superior to that of any other white species — it keeps well, is highly aromatic, and is soft and suave in flavor. The grape is little valued for table use."
The vast success of the Spanish treatise is confirmed by the fact that in 1568, an Italian translation by Mambrino Roseo de Fabriano was published in Venice. Curiously, the translator engaged in an outright deception: he unscrupulously substituted Italian variety names (such as Verdicchio, Moscatello, Cesenesa, Castigliano bianco, Palombina) for Herrera's original Spanish ones, yet preserved the exact text of the Spanish descriptions without verifying whether they actually applied to the Italian vines.
Following Herrera, Rui Fernandez brought his contribution to the study of the vine in Portugal, drafting in 1531 a detailed description of the surroundings of the city of Lamego. He recorded the composition of the already renowned vineyards of the Douro valley. Most of the grape varieties listed by him in the 16th century are successfully cultivated in this region to this day. Among them, the Portuguese author mentions the Bastardo, Trincadente, Agudelho, Alvaredo de Sousa (called Malvasia elsewhere), Catelao, Loureiro, Verdelho preto, Verdelho branco, Donzelynho, Terrantes, Abelhal, Burral, Camarrinho tinto, Ferraal, Ceitâo, Mourisco, and Felgosao vines.
The German School of Viticulture: Hieronymus Bock and the First Variety Atlases
In German-speaking lands, ampelography developed in tandem with the massive renewal of European botanical science. The scholar Hieronymus Bock (also known by his Latin name Tragus), who alongside Brunfels and Fuchs became one of the key reformers of modern botany, published his foundational "New Book of Plants" (New Kroeuterbuch) in 1539. In the Latin edition of 1552, Bock recorded about a dozen precise names of German grape varieties for the first time, providing brief but substantive practical notes.
It is in these old 16th-century printed German sources that the names of great varieties making up the pride of modern winemaking are first heard — Riesling (Risling) and Traminer (Traminner). In addition to these, Bock entered into the registry the Muscateller, Grossfrenkisch (Edeltraube), Klein frenkisch (Lauttertraube), Hynschtraube, Drutsch, Albich, Gensfiissel, Harthinsch, Friihschwartz (Kleber), and Grün franckisch vines.
These ancient German variety names rapidly established themselves in the official documents of the era. Three of them, along with the new name Elbinen, are found in the Bebenhausen monastic cartulary of 1554. Later, in the celebrated state ordinance of Elector Johann Georg of Brandenburg from 1578 (Weinmeister-Ordnung), growers were strictly recommended to plant only noble and verified vines: Grossfrankisch, Traminer, Elbinger, and Klebroth. Additional contributions to German viticultural literature at the close of the century were brought by the works of Conrad Heresbach (1571), Rembert Dodoens (1580), J. Rasch (1581), C. Kobrer (1581), and Jacobus Theodorus Tabernaemontanus (1591).
The French Breakthrough: Charles Estienne and the Era of Maison Rustique
In France, the development of ampelography in the 16th century proceeded in close alliance with science, literature, and medicine. The celebrated writer François Rabelais, whose youth was spent on the family viticultural estate of La Devinière, where his father made excellent white wine, frequently mentioned the vines of France in his works. In his books, such ancient varieties as Chenin, Pineau (Pinot), Malvoisie, Muscadet, Picardent, Vierron (Breton), Fier, Muscadeau, Bicane, and Foyrar are recorded.
The first specialized scientific contribution was brought by the prominent scholar Charles Estienne. In 1537, he published his classic work Vinetum ("The Vineyard") in Latin. Estienne sought to organize old names and match the ancient classification with the contemporary French vines of his time. He divided all grapes into three strict classes: black (nigriers), white, and wheaten (frumenteux). His registry included the Bourdelaz, Rochelle, Magnaguerra, Malvasia, Trebbolica (Trebbiano), and Herbula (Erba luce) vines.
Since Estienne's Latin original was accessible only to a narrow circle of scholars, his son-in-law, Doctor of Medicine Jean Liébault, suggested translating and expanding this work in the French language. The result of their collaboration was the legendary "Rural Estate" (Maison rustique), published in 1564. This book enjoyed colossal success in Europe and went through dozens of editions. The description of grapes in it was so precise that common growers were offered ready varietal synonyms. For instance, the Morillon variety was directly identified with the noble Pinot, the Foirard variety with Cinquain, and the Meslier variety with the Servinien vine.
Olivier de Serres: The End of an Era and the Foundations of Ampelography
The glorious conclusion of the 16th century for French science was Olivier de Serres's monumental work "The Theatre of Agriculture" (Théâtre d'Agriculture), published in 1600. This was not a mere compilation but a deep practical manual written by an outstanding practicing viticulturist. De Serres formulated a clear rule: "The air, the soil, and the selection of the vine are the foundations of the vineyard."
He was the first in the history of France to openly and loudly declare the existence of chaos in grape variety naming, which prevented scientists and practitioners from understanding one another: "The confusion in grape names is so great that, stopping upon it, one could have no pleasure. The revolution of centuries and the distance of places have so diversified the names of grapes that people barely understand one another from one vineyard to another, let alone from province to province. For here they name a certain sort of grape as white and early, which there turns out to be black and late."
Instead of attempting forced and fantastical connections between ancient texts and the vines of his era, Olivier de Serres simply compiled the most extensive list of his time of the grape varieties actively cultivated in France, dividing them by their regions of growth. His registry included the Négrier, Pinot, Pique-poule, Meurlond, Foirard, Brumestres, Piquardent, Ugnes, Caunés, Samoyran, Ribier, Beccane, Pounhete, Rochelois, Bourdelois, Beaunois, Malvoisie, Meslier, Marroquin, Bourboulenc, Colitor, Voltoline, Corinthien, Grecs, Salers, Espaignols, Augibi, Clarete, Prunelat, Gouest, Abeillane, Pulceau, Tresseau, Lombard, Morillon, Sarminien, Chatus, and Bernelle vines.