Trollinger, Schiava, or Vernatsch, is a red German/Italian wine grape variety that was likely originally cultivated in the wine regions of South Tyrol and Trentino, but today is almost exclusively cultivated on steep, sunny locations in the Württemberg wine region of Baden-Württemberg. It is primarily known under the synonyms Trollinger in Germany, Vernatsch in South Tyrol and Schiava in other Italian regions. As a table grape the variety is sometimes known as Black Hamburg, which is commonly confused with the similar synonym for Black Muscat—a variety that is actually a cross of Trollinger and Muscat of Alexandria.
According to wine expert Oz Clarke, Trollinger has moderate acidity and tends to produce light bodied wines with fruity strawberry and subtle smokey notes.
History
While the grape is likely northern Italian in origin, the synonym Schiava is closely related to the Italian word for "Slave" and may hint to the type of vine plant in Roman times (forced by pruning). Records show that the grape has been growing in the Trentino-Alto Adige region since at least the 13th century. but the earliest records for Trollinger growing in the Württemberg region can only be traced back to 14th century. The new crossing was named after the local poet and medical writer, Justinus Kerner.
Wine regions
thumb|Trollinger vineyard in the city center of [[Stuttgart]]
Germany
The vast majority of the nearly 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres) of Trollinger in Germany are grown in the Württemberg around the town of Stuttgart and throughout the Neckar valley. The region is the fifth largest in Germany with nearly a third of all plantings in Württemberg being Trollinger.
right|thumb|Vernatsch vineyard in the Trentino-South Tyrol region of Italy.
Other Italian DOCs where Trollinger/Schiava/Vernatsch is a permitted variety include: The Walters Art Museum.]]
The wine produced from the grape is mostly red, though some dark color rosé styles are also produced. In Württemberg, the wine is often slightly sweet with some residual sugar left over after fermentation is completed. Most wines produced from Trollinger are often consumed very young, usually within a year of the vintage date.