Aromatic pink-skinned Romanian variety making sweet, well-balanced Muscat-like wines.
MAIN SYNONYMS: Busuioacă Neagră, Busuioacă Vânătă de Bohotin,Tămâioasă de Bohotin, Tămâioasă Violetă
VARIETIES COMMONLY MISTAKEN FOR BUSUIOACĂ DE BOHOTIN: Muscat Rouge de Madereor or Moscato Violetto (France and Italy)
ORIGINS AND PARENTAGE
In 1926—8, a pink-berried Muscat was introduced by Professor Hogaș in Bohotin, lași, eastern Romania, and the variety then spreas under the name Busuioacă de Bohotin (Dejeu 2004). While Busuioacă de Bohotin is often a synonym for Muscat Rouge de Madere, aka Moscato Violetto (Dejeu 2004), its DNA profile in Harta et al. (2010) does not match that of Muscat Rouge de Madere in Di Vecchi Staraz, This et al. (2007) although it does correspond to MUSCAT BLANC A PETITS GRAINS, making this reference sample of Busuioacă de Bohotin a colour mutation of the latter (Vouillamoz). Its morphological description is similar to that of Tămâioasă Românească (Dejeu 2004), the Romanian name for Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. However, the DNA profile of the Busuioacă de Bohotin in Motoc (2009) is unique, so that the true-to-type reference variety still needs to be identified. The name Busuioacă possibly derives from busuioc, meaning 'basil', referring to the aroma of the wine.
VITICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
Mid to late budding, mid ripening. Compact bunches of small to medium-sized, thick-skinned berries. Susceptible to downy and powdery mildews, resistant to botrytis bunch rot. Some resistance to drought and cold-hardy to -18 °C (-0.4 °F).
WHERE IT GROWS AND WHAT THE WINES TASTES LIKE
This Muscat-flavoured variety is less well suited to late harvesting than Tămâioasă Românească (the red-berried mutation of Tămâioasă Albă - see MUSCAT BLANC A PETITS GRAINS). However, its rose wines are made in half-sweet and sweet styles, with flavours of honeysuckle, roses and peaches, the sweetness well balanced by the acidity. The variety mainly grows in Huși in Romania's eastern region of Moldova and further south and west in Dealu Mare, with a total of 90 ha (222 acres) in Romania in 2008. Recommended producers include Basilescu and Senator.