Radgonska Ranina is an indigenous vine, better known by its German name "Bouviers Fruehtraube" (Bouvier's Early Grape). Its source seems to be a natural mutation discovered by Clotar Bouvier on his Hercegovščak estate near Gornja Radgona. In 1900, Bouvier noticed that some of his Pinot Blanc vines bore early ripening, very aromatic white grapes. He grafted selected scions on new roots and cultivated them for a number of years before he officially announced the variety and made it available.
Ranina grapes are very sweet with a pleasant aroma; the berries are quite large so the fruit is sometimes offered as table grapes. The young wine is of light greenish-yellow colour with moderate acids and a noble bouquet; with its high sugar content, Ranina must is almost never fermented into a dry wine - semi-dry to sweet varieties are standard. Since it ripens so early, Ranina is an ideal grape for late harvests: late harvest Ranina is quite a heavy wine, rich in extract and alcohol and very aromatic. The wine ages very quickly and should be consumed young.
The vine has spread from its original source near Gornja Radgona to other areas of Podravje. Still, it seems that the natural conditions of Radgona-Kapela are the most suitable for the production of this aromatic wine although other areas may come close in good years.
Sweet and semi-sweet Ranina (particularly Izbor and Jagodni Izbor should be served at 8 °C (46.4 °F) with subtle desserts, as an aperitif, or on its own as a light "conversation" wine. Semi-dry Ranina is best at 10 - 12 °C (50 - 53.6 °F) with cheese, poultry, or light veal dishes.
