The red grape variety originates from historic Lower Styria in what is now north-east Slovenia. There are around 120 synonyms that indicate its great age and wide distribution. Some of them, grouped alphabetically by country, are Gamé(Bulgaria); Blauer Lemberger, Blauer Limberger, Blaufranchis, Hartig 353, Lemberger, Limberger (Germany); Franconien Bleu, Franconien Noir, Franconim Noir, Limberger Noir, Limberqer (France); Franconia, Franconia Nera, Franconia Nero (Italy); Borgonja, Frankovka, Frankovka Cerna, Frankovka Crna, Frankovka Modrá(Croatia);

Blaufränkische, Burgunder, Fränkische, Frühschwarze, Frühschwarzer, Großburgunder, Jubiläumsrebe, Karmazin, Mährische, Mährischer, Mährische Schwarze, Mährische Schwarze Karmazin, Mährische Traube, Schwarze Fränkische, Schwarzfränkisch, Schwarzgrobe (Austria); Borgona (Peru); Burgundy Mare (Romania); Sura Lisicina (Serbia); Frankovka Modrá(Slovakia); Modra Frankinja (Slovenia); Frankovka (Czech Republic); Kékfrankos, Nagyburgundi, Szeleslevelü,(Hungary), Blue Franc, Blue French, Lemberger, Limberger Black, The Wide-Leafed (USA).
According to legend, Emperor Charlemagne (742-814) was involved in its creation by ordering the "good Franconian varieties to be separated from the bad Heunian varieties". The...
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