White grape variety
Solaris
A very early-ripening disease-resistant crossing, important in Wales and Scandinavia.
What is Solaris?
Solaris ripens extremely early and resists mildew, which makes it viable in places where almost nothing else is. It can reach high sugar levels quickly, and the challenge is retaining acidity rather than achieving ripeness.
Bred at Freiburg, Germany, in 1975 for early ripening and disease resistance.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 20340 under the prime name SOLARIS, with berry skin colour blanc and country of origin germany, and the pedigree "MERZLING X GEISENHEIM 6493". Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Solaris, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low-medium | Some variation | |
| Acidity | medium | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | medium | Some variation | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium | Consistent | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Wines made from it
The same grape in different places and different hands. These are where the wide ranges above resolve into something specific.
Where it grows
- Monmouthshire — Wales
- Vale of Glamorgan — Wales
- West Country — England
If you like Solaris, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Maria Gomes
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more floral.
Welsh white wine
Both are made from solaris, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fresher, and more herbal and green.
Ortega
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be sweeter, and more floral.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Müller-Thurgau
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.
Parellada
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be drier, and more neutral and subtle.
Kabinett
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Spätlese
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.
Parellada
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be drier, and lighter.
Kabinett
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect it to be lighter, and fresher and more acidic.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Malagousia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be drier, and stronger and warmer.
Malvasia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less floral, and sweeter.
Roussanne
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Asparagus
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
Trout
Works because low tannin avoids the metallic interaction with fish.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Artichoke
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
Cauliflower and brassicas
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
How to serve it
Temperature
9–12°C
48–54°F · Fridge cold
From a 20°C room, roughly two to three hours in the fridge, or about 20 minutes in a bucket of ice and water.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Wines made from this grape are generally at their best within a few years.
A disease-resistant crossing grown in England, Scandinavia and northern Germany for its very early ripening. Made fresh and aromatic for early drinking; longevity was not among the aims of the breeding programme.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof
- WineGB industry data — Wines of Great Britain (WineGB)