Alicante Bouchet - Grape Variety

Commonly shortened to Alicante Bouschet, this grape variety is one of the few red-fruited wine grapes to which can be applied the French descriptor teinturier for, unusually, it has red flesh and juice (almost all grapes, both red and white, have clear juice).  It was created in the late 19th century by Henri Bouschet in his vineyard in the Hérault; it was one offspring he obtained from crossing Grenache with the little known Petit Bouschet, this latter itself a cross of Aramon Noir and Teinturier. The (rare) wines produced solely from Alicante Bouchet are deeply-coloured with plush dark fruit characteristics and are generally low in acidity.