This is what good wine from the Solaris grape tastes like

White wines from the Solaris grape often have a light tropical character. This grape is popular in Europe's most northerly wine regions, such as Denmark and Sweden. It originally comes from Germany, where most Solaris vines are also planted.

Solaris was created through crossbreeding by Norbert Becker in a laboratory in Germany, in 1975. Becker was trying to breed a new variety resistant to fungal diseases such as mildew, and he succeeded - and then some. Solaris ripens quickly and develops a lot of sugar and acidity in a short time. Precisely those two properties make it eminently suitable for winegrowing in a cold (read: northern) climate. It is accordingly celebrated by fans of the so-called Piwi grapes (Piwi stands for 'pilzwiderstandsfähig', or fungus-resistant).

The Swedes have embraced it as the country's 'signature grape'. It is also popular in Denmark, and it is planted in the Netherlands and Belgium too. But most Solaris still grows in Germany (around 59 hectares), and you also find it in Switzerland and even Italy.

Because of its favorable properties, breeders have gone on to create new varieties using Solaris, including Cabernet Cortis and Monarch.