A division of
grape varieties into
Frankish and Hunnic grape varieties was practiced in
German-speaking countries in the
Middle ages and separated varieties considered to be better from those considered to be lesser. Frankish (
fränkisch) grapes were considered
noble grapes, and the designation derived from the
Franks, as popular belief held that those were grapes introduced by
Charlemagne or at least through his edicts. Hunnic (
hunnisch or
heunisch) grapes, on the other hand, were the simpler varieties.