The red grape variety originates from the historical Lower Styria (Austria-Hungary) in today's northeastern Slovenia. There are about 120 synonyms, which indicate a 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); Burgundy, Early Black, Early Black, Great Burgundy, Moravian, Moravian Black, Moravian Black Karmazin, Moravian Grape, Black Franconian, Black Franconian, Black Grobe (Austria); Borgona (Peru); Burgundy Mare (Romania); Sura Lisicina (Serbia); Frankovka Modrá (Slovakia); Frankovna Crna (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 that the "good Franconian varieties be separated from the bad Heunian varieties". From this selection of the "valuable, Franconian material" the Blaufränkisch may have developed. In...