Bacchus wine is crisp and shows grape, elderflower and citrus elements with a lot of dry and sweet types. When getting started with Bacchus you need to know about different types of Bacchus. English Bacchus is the type I already described, but German Bacchus is much more mellow. The English climate means that Bacchus grapes grown here are more acidic. The English wine tastes a lot like Sauvignon Blanc with a hedgerow flavour and aromatics. English winemakers are now very confident with Bacchus and make many varieties. Winemakers now make fruity wines, zesty wines, and sparkling wines. There’s something for everybody!
What Food Pairings Match Bacchus Wine
Bacchus has very English flavours, so simple English favourites compliment it best. Good choices are fish, especially grilled fish and cheese selections. Goat’s cheese is a popular dish with wines especially. Bacchus may be ideal for holidaymakers this summer, with coastal seafood specials available. Whole fresh grilled Cornish mackerel or Cromer crab would be great with Bacchus!
Where Does Bacchus Wine Come From?
Before the twentieth century, fungus was ruining vineyards. In Germany in the 1930’s, The Government funded research into a fungus resistant grape. At the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding, Peter Morio and Professor Husfeld created a strong grape that was difficult for fungus to infect. This grape is know known as Bacchus. Today only a small percentage of grapes planted in Germany are Bacchus grapes. The grape’s popularity has grown in recent years and it’s often used in English vineyards. It is the fourth most popular type of grape in England and Wales according to WineGB.
Who is Bacchus Wine Named After?
Peter Morio named the wine after the Roman God of wine and merriment who was born twice. He was born to Zeus and Semele, Semele was then asked by Hera to prove her child was divine and she asked Zeus to appear. Unfortunately Zeus blew her away by accident with his thunderbolts. Zeus sewed Bacchus into his own thigh until he was grown to save his life, and so they say Bacchus was “twice born”. Bacchus grapes similarly, have had two lives. Morio bred them in Germany, but they became a success in England. With its crisp flavours, Bacchus is a wine for merriment, to enjoy in good company.
Examples of Award Winning Bacchus Wine Makers
Chapel Down’s Kit’s Coty Bacchus 2017 was a gold-medalist of 2020’s WineGB awards and
Tuffon Vineyard’s Amelie 2019,
Chartham Vineyard’s Bacchus 2019,
Laneberg Wine Ltd’s Bacchus 2019,
Lily Farm Vineyard’s Bacchus 2019,
Oven Farm Vineyard’s Bacchus 2019 and
Wildwood Vineyard’s Bacchus 2019 all won silver medals, amongst others.