Photo by VIVC - Vitis International Variety Catalogue
Description
Juhfark, 'sheep's tail', takes its name from its long, cylindrical bunches. It is an old Hungarian white variety whose real home is the volcanic hill of Somló, where it covers about a fifth of the vineyards. It is grown almost nowhere outside Hungary. Once nearly forgotten, it was authorised again in the 1990s and has returned as a sought-after local speciality. Its wines are neutral rather than aromatic, with firm acidity and a strong sense of place.
Characteristics
White wine grape; long, cylindrical, dense bunches; medium round, thin-skinned, juicy berries with a heavy bloom, often turning rusty on the sunny side; neutral taste; high acidity; late ripening (late September to mid-October); productive and long-lived; early flowering; susceptible to fungal disease; berries prone to rot
Growing Tips
Juhfark yields well and lives a long time, and its berries do not drop. Its weak point is rot: the thin-skinned berries are packed into tight bunches and are susceptible to fungal disease, so keep the canopy open, remove leaves around the bunches after flowering and keep to a regular spray routine. It ripens late, so give it a warm slope.