Blanc de Champagne, Pinot Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco,  Weißer Burgunder, Weißburgunder. Freelance writer and wine expert, author of ""Idiots Guides: Wine""; as well as several magazine and online articles. For the moment the big aims of the clonal selection are to get loose bunched clones with small or mixed size berries. All kinds of pinot blanc wines can be ordered from a quality purveyor. They could be called medium, a bit lower than Pinot noir and Pinot gris. Pinot blanc wine exhibits a strong fragrance with notes of apple and almond, and is medium to high in alcohol content. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. [6], In Alsace, Italy and Hungary, the wine produced from this grape is a full-bodied dry white wine while in Germany and Austria they can be either dry or sweet. The berries will start getting yellow when they are ripe. A slight tendency to looser grapes is therefore noticeable especially when grafted on strong rootstocks.. Clone 90 Gm is a clone from Geisenheim. In Austria it may be bottled as Weissburgunder or Klevner. Pinot blanc originated in the Burgundy region of France, and while it is still grown there, it is more commonly found in Alsace, northern Italy, and Austria. Bottles labeled Pinot Blanc offer fruity aromas, often of apple, citrus fruit, and floral characteristics. This page was last edited on 27 June 2020, at 15:57. During a series of trials between 1930 and 1935, Pinot blanc was crossed with Riesling to create the white Italian wine grape variety Manzoni bianco. Below are some high quality wines to get you started. It has a good procutivity. Pinot blanc is a white wine grape used to make a dry French wine by the same name, pinot bianco in Italy, and Weissburgunder (VICE-bur-gund-er) in Germany and Austria. Under Alsace appellation rules, the varieties Pinot blanc, Auxerrois blanc, Pinot gris and Pinot noir (vinified white, without skin contact) may all be used,[2] but a blend of Pinot blanc and Auxerrois blanc is the most common. Historically, Pinot blanc was used both in Burgundy and Champagne. Weissburgunder is also used in the Südtirol/Alto Adige region of north east Italy (also occasionally named so in Alsace) and in Germany. In long term evaluations of the Selector (Weinbauinstitut Freiburg) it has a slightly higher sugar content with minimal loss of productivity. The nose is almond, light spice, and sometimes fruitiness. The Spruce Eats uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. (This is in difference to Pinot gris, which is a "true" varietal designation in Alsace.) This is a relatively new clone from Geisenheim. Good yield and more loose bunches are often present in this clone. Spread: Canada's Okanagan Valley has developed a reputation for Pinot blanc as its signature wine.[5]. Unoaked pinot blanc should be served in a white wine glass with a narrow aperture, accentuating the nose of the fragrant wine. Unoaked pinot blanc is low in tannins. Probably a very old mutation of Pinot noir. And of course in Burgundy where it is used in most of the Appellations. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Ask your local wine stores which pinot blancs they offer, or shop online. By using The Spruce Eats, you accept our, Why Chardonnay Is the World's Favorite White Wine, Know How to Store White Wines With These Helpful Tips, The 8 Best Wines for Thanksgiving in 2020, The 12 Best Wines to Pair with Turkey in 2020. Pinot blanc is often treated similarly to chardonnay during the winemaking process, as both take well to oak maturation. [4] In Canada, Pinot blanc is often used to make ice wine. The N 81 is an older clone in Germany. Origin: Probably a very old mutation of Pinot noir. [1] The most powerful versions are usually made in Baden and Palatinate. Rather, the designation means that it is a white wine made from Pinot varieties. This means the berries will stay longer green, even when the are ripe. Pinot Blanc shares a similar history but it is much less famous: it is also … In Germany, where it is known as Weißer Burgunder or Weißburgunder, there were 5,540 hectares (13,700 acres) of Pinot blanc in 2018. This clone and D 209 are the so called "Standard clones" which are planted in most cases. The grape is also grown in Austria and Hungary as well as in Burgundy, France. [4], In France the grape is often blended with Klevner, sometimes referred to by locals as "true Pinot," and Auxerrois grapes, in order to give it a more Alsatian flavor.[7]. Creating great tasting cocktails at home is easy once you have some recipes. This is a recent clone of the Weinbauinstitut in Freiburg. Pinot blanc is very similar to chardonnay in that it is dry, has a medium to full body, and bright flavor. The wine will be lost in a meal made with strongly flavorful or spicy foods, so keep the food flavors complementary. Pinot Blanc – often blended with Auxerrois and called Clevner or Klevner – is Alsace's everyday white, though it is not planted as widely as more 'noble' varieties in this most Germanic of French wine regions. In the Champagne region, Pinot blanc is often called Blanc vrai. This mistake was discovered around the mid-1980s by a French oenologist who was examining rootstock while visiting University of California, Davis, and now Pinot blanc purchased from a nursery will be the genuine article. Synonyms: Blanc de Champagne, Pinot Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Weißer Burgunder, Weißburgunder. Pinot blanc grapes can also be used to make wines like pinot bianco, Weissburgunder, and others with varied characteristics. Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. The best examples have the sort of smoky perfume common to virtually all Alsace whites. In Germany it is planted in every wine growing region, but most in Baden, Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Nahe and the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. In Germany, where it is known as Weißer Burgunder or Weißburgunder, there were 5,540 hectares (13,700 acres) of Pinot blanc in 2018. Spain and Italy refer to it as Pinot bianco. Weissburgunder or Klevner (Austria), Fehér Burgundi (Hungary), Pinot bianco (Spain and Italy), Rulandské bílé (Czech), Rulandské biele (Slovak), Bijeli pinot (Croatia), Бели пино, бели бургундац, пино блан (Serbia). J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz, INAO: AOC Alsace appellation regulations, updated until February 16, 2006, http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-380-pinot-blanc, Pinot blanc Wine Information, French Wine Guide in Alsace, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pinot_blanc&oldid=964787751, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Pinot bianco and Weissburgunder often appear in quality wine shops and on fine wine lists. In 2018, there were 1,232 hectares (3,040 acres) of Pinot blanc in France, with most of the plantations found in Alsace, where it is used for both still white wines and is the most common variety used for sparkling wine, Crémant d'Alsace. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produces white fruit. Loose bunches paired with good wine quality was also here the breeding goal. Hungary calls it Fehér Burgundi. It is characteristically high in acidity, which can lend it a sour to tart profile depending on how the wine is made. Pinot blanc's name varies by region. Pinot blanc often exhibits notes of citrus, pear, apple, and occasional smoke or mineral undertones. Pinot blanc grapes can be used to make still, sparkling, and sweet dessert wines, and is often compared to chardonnay owing to its high acidity. Partly you can see that. [3] It is still allowed in Bourgogne blanc blend and small amounts of Pinot blanc may in principle be blended into some Burgundy wines, but very small amounts are cultivated in either region. Follow a few steps when tasting wine to ensure you have the best experience: Pinot blanc originated in the Burgundy region of France, and while it is still grown there, it is more commonly found in Alsace, northern Italy, and Austria. Pinot blanc is frequently mistaken for chardonnay, which has a similar coloring and acidity. Pinot blanc thrives in high elevations with cool temperatures during the growing season, and minimal exposure to direct sun and heat. This clone is in our clonal trials similar to clone FR 70. Pinot blanc wines are usually made for immediate consumption. Pinot blanc is the name of a white grape varietal and also the name of a French white wine made using said grapes. Get our free book when you sign up for our newsletter. But it is the more greenish typ. Some pinot blanc grows in Germany, California, and Oregon as well. Sparkling wine should be served chilled in a coup, flute, or tulip redux. Pinot blanc is not as easy to find as chardonnay, but is still widely available. Oaked varieties should be served in a wine glass with a wide aperture to help the wine open up. Pinot blanc has also been confused with Chardonnay, and wineries often vinify it in a similar style, using barrel fermentation, new oak and malolactic fermentation. In Alsace, Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, the wine produced from this grape is a full-bodied white. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produces white fruit. Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. The most powerful versions are usually made in Baden and Palatinate. The most full-bodied "Pinot blanc" wines from Alsace, with a spicy and smokey character and moderate acidity, are probably dominated by Auxerrois grapes. In the United States, many of the vines called Pinot blanc are actually a different variety, Melon de Bourgogne/Muscadet, that resembles Chardonnay when on the vine. Regardless of their exact composition, most wines under the label 'Pinot Blanc' are rather high in acidity and are vinified in tank, though more prestigious examples are fermented in large, 100% used oak barrels. Limestone soil with some clay is the ideal composition for growing these grapes, with a summertime growing season and fall harvest in the Northern hemisphere. The grape is a white mutation of pinot gris (itself a mutation of pinot noir) and originates in Burgundy, France. Somewhat confusingly, the designation "Pinot blanc" for Alsace AOC wine does not necessarily mean that the wine is varietally pure Pinot blanc. In the United States it is mainly produced in California. Pinot noir is often a very productive variety, so some selections are also made to reduce the yield.