Trollinger, Schiava, or Vernatsch, is a red German/Italian wine grape variety that was likely first 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. The German synonym Trollinger appears to be a corruption of the word Tirolinger meaning "of Tyrol". The synonym Vernatsch appears to have a similar origins as Vernaccia in having the same root word as "vernacular" or "local". British Master of Wine Nicolas Belfrage has interpreted this association as further evidence that the grape likely originated in the South Tyrol/Alto Adige region. At some point the grape migrated northwards to the southern regions of Germany though the exact date of its arrival is unknown. In Württemberg, viticulture has existed since at least the 8th century when monks from Burgundy established monasteries and vineyards in the region. In nearby Lauffen am Neckar, it was established even earlier during Roman times, but the earliest records for Trollinger growing in the Württemberg region can only be traced back to 14th century. Sub-varieties and crossings In the Trentino-Alto Adige region, several sub-varieties or clones of Trollinger have been identified. These include the large berry Schiava Grossa (also known as Grossvernatsch and Schiava Grigia) which is probably the highest yielding clone, but tends to produce light bodied and neutral tasting wine, the smaller berry Schiava Gentile (also known as Kleinvernatsch), which tends to produce more aromatic wines and Tschaggle, which is the lowest yielding clone, but often produces the most critically acclaimed wines. Other known clones include Schiava