The white grape variety originates from France. Synonyms include Branco Especial, Especial Branco, Royal Madeleine grape, Maddaleina Royal, Maddalena Reale, Madeleine Impériale, Madlen Blond, Madlen Roial, Madlen Roiyal, Madlen Royal, Magdalena Kralovska, Magdalene Real, Magdalenka Kralovska, and Plant du Caporal. It was bred in 1845 in Angers (Maine-et-Loire) at the Moreau-Robert Institute from an then-unknown seedling.
According to the DNA conducted in 2020, it is presumably a natural cross between Pinot x Frankenthal Noir (Schiava Grossa). The variety was a crossing partner in the new breeding Abondant, Frühgipfler, Madeleine Angevine, Prachttraube, and Sirio, in some Dalmasso Giovanni and Piròvano Alberto, as well as the long-sought parent variety of the Müller-Thurgau (for almost 100 years considered the parent variety of the Silvaner).
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