Aligoté
- Description
- Region(s)
- A natural cross between Pinot x Gouais Blanc - aromatic fruit w/ high acidity, medium body, and ‘jasmine and vanilla perfume’
- Beaujolais, Bourgogne, Rhône (Diosis), and Savoie.
Altesse
- Description
- Region(s)
- Considered a bumper crop. Very resistant to rot and delivers uncompromised clusters despite long hang time.
Genetics linked to Chasselas (native to Lake Geneva), theorized to be indigenous to Savoie.
Lively acidity, hints of honey/almond. Full bodied w/ spicy aromatics and long lived.
- L-R IGP, Savoie
Auxerrois
- Description
- Region(s)
- Ripens to high sugar and low acid levels, makes a fairly neutral white.
Natural cross of Pinot x Gouais and thought to originated in Alsace-Lorraine.
- Alsace
Chardonnay
- Description
- Region(s)
- Natural cross of Pinot x Gouais Blanc and indigenous to Bourgogne. High sugar, high extract levels, can run risk of low acid.
Primary fruit = apple and citrus w/ secondary/tertiary aromas of butter, bnuts, ginger, and nutmeg.
Pale white to yellow gold depending on age, winemaking, and terroir.
- Alsace, Beaujolais, Bourgogne, Champagne, Corsica IGP, Jura, L-R, Loire, Provence, Rhône, Savoie, South-West
Bourboulenc
- Description
- Region(s)
- Requires high temperatures to ripen in clusters. Produces wines w/ moderate alcohol and high acidity. Citrus and smoke aromas. Unknown origin, but grown in Southern France for centuries.
- L-R, Provence, Rhône
Synonym(s) for Chardonnay
(Bourgogne) Beaunois
(Jura) Gamay Blanc, Melon d’Arbois, Melon à Queue Rouge
(Loire) Auvernat
Chasselas
- Description
- Region(s)
- Ancient grape variety native to Lake Geneva (Switzerland). Abundant, but inconsistent yields and is a fairly neutral grape. Hints of flint or smoke, also hay and flowers.
Used by French ampelographer Victor Pulliat (1827-1896) as the ‘standard’ in categorizing grapes based on ripening because of how widely planted it was in Western Europe.
- Alsace, Loire, Savoie
Victor Pulliat (1827-1896) and this grape
French ampelographer used Chasselas Doré as the ‘baseline/standard’ to in his categorization system of grape varieties and their ripening time due to the fact that it was one of the most widely planted grapes and considered a reference point throughout out Western Europe.
Chenin Blanc
- Description
- Region(s)
- Related to Savagnin Blanc and thought to be native to Northern part of France. DNA proves that Agudelo (native to Galicia, Spain) is a direct match.
High-vigor variety, adaptable to different climates/soils. Cold hardy vines, wind and disease resistant. Crafts high acid and high extract wines.
Often used to make sweet wines because of rot resistant qualities. High acidity/extract = ability to be aged for decades.
Primary fruits of peach, quince, apricot, apple, and pair. Secondary of clotted cream, créme frâiche, and buttermilk. Tertiary = ripe grain, fresh straw, marzipan, toasted nuts.
- L-R, Loire, South=West
Synonym(s) for Chenin Blanc
(Loire) Gros Pineau, Pineau de la Loire
(SW) Rouchelein
Clairette
- Description
- Region(s)
- Believed to originated in Hérault département of Languedoc.
Prefers warm, rocky, dry sites and crafts wines w/ high alcohol and low acidity. Hints of apricot, apple, peach, fennel, and lime. Aromas of of acacia and hawthorn.
Prone to oxidation.
- L-R, Provence, Rhône, South-West
Colombard
- Description
- Region(s)
- Natural cross of Chenin Blanc x Gouais and native to Charente départment in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
“Prolific producer” delivering fruit w/ floral notes, high acidity, and high sugar levels.
- Bordeaux, L-R IGP, Loire, South-West
Courbu Blanc
- Description
- Region(s)
- Matures to high sugar levels and made into dry and sweet wines. Only moderately acidic despite pronounced grapefruit aromas.
Unrelated to Courbu Noir and Petit Courbu.
- South-West
Synonym(s) for Courbu Blanc
Hondarrabi Zuri (Spain)
Folle Blanche
- Description
- Region(s)
- Believed to be native to South-West France. Delicately flavored, hgh-acid wines w/ refreshing notes of citrus and green apple.
It is referred to as Picpoul n Armagnac, but is not the same grape as Picpoul of Languedoc. DNA = Gouais Blanc is one of its parents.
- Loire, South-West
Synonym(s) for Folle Blanche
(Loire) Gros Plant
Gouais Blanc
- Description
- Region(s)
- Produces big clusters w/ big berries. Dominant grape of the Middle Ages, but not commercially grown today.
- Champagne
Famous offspring of Gouais Blanc
Aligoté
Auxerrois
Chardonnay
Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc
Melon de Bourgogne
Romorantin
Sacy
Colombard
Folle Blanche
Grolleau Noir
Arbois
Riesling
Grenache Blanc
- Description
- Region(s)
- Produces fairly full-bodied white wines w/ low to moderate acidity and good extract. Prone to oxidation.
Green apple and pear w/ white flower aromatics.
Shares DNA w/ grenache blanc, gris, and noir.
- L-R, Provence, Rhône
Synonym(s) for Grenache Blanc
Garnacha Blanca (Spain)
Gringet
- Description
- Region(s)
- Legend says it was brought to Savoie by bishops from Cyprus and could very well be native.
Mid ripening w/ floral aromatics, bright acidity, and yellow plum fruit.
- Savoie
Gros Manseng
- Description
- Region(s)
- Larger berried, thinner skinned offspring of Petit Manseng. High-acid, high-sugar grapes crafted into wines accented with citrus and spice. Less intense aromatics than Petit Manseng.
- L-R IGP, South-West
Jacquère
- Description
- Region(s)
- “Prolific producer’ can easily deliver a crop of 6 tons/ac (100 hl/ha) each year.
Produces lightly perfumed, high-acid wines with hints of wildflower and citrus.
- Savoie
Marsanne
- Description
- Region(s)
- Vigorous and hardy vine and generous producer. Clusters are large, but berries are small. Believed to be native to Rhône.
Prefers warm, stony soils and does well on less fertile sites. Produces powerful wines with moderate acidity, high alcohol, and high extract.
Aromas of melon and honeysuckle w/ marzipan and hazelnut.
- L-R, Provence, Rhône, Savoie
