corruptions of Bourdelais, name of a variety of grape, cultivated in the 17th c., which long ago dropped out of cultivation, and its name along with it.
1629. Parkinson, Orchard, vi. 663. The Burlet is a very great white Grape.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 234. A Catalogue of … excellent Fruit Trees; Vines, Raisin, Bursarobe, Burlet.
1688. Ray, Hist. Plant., II. 1615. The Burlet Grape.
1737. Miller, Gard. Dict. (ed. 3), s.v. Vitis, The Burdelais, vulgarly called Burlake. [Ibid. (1797), The Claret Grape, Bourdelais or Verjuice Grape.]
1755. Johnson, Burlace; (whence in all subseq. Dicts.).
