The red grape variety originates from the north of the Romanian region of Moldova. Synonyms grouped alphabetically by country are Coada Răndunicii, Coada Rindunicei, Coada Rindunicii, Coada Rindunicu, Păsărească, Păsărească Neagră, Poamă Fetei Neagră, Poama Rândunicii, Black Maiden Grape (Moldova, Romania); Feteasca Chernaya, Pasaryanska Chernaya (Russia); Fetyaska Chernaya (Ukraine); Fetyaska Black.The parentage is unknown. In 2010, comparisons refuted the long-suspected assumption that Fetească Neagră is a colour mutation of Fetească Albă (or vice versa). There are four morphologically different varieties of Fetească Neagră. According to the Romanian amateur ampelographer and grape variety historian Tiberiu Onuțu, there is no genetically sound evidence that the variety is related to Fetească Albă. Black maidenhair grape is, in his opinion, an artificial synonym that is a mistranslation of the variety name. The vine was only brought to Moldova in 2007 by the grower Gheorghe Gaberi.
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