and the wine from it
Pinot Blanc (Pinot blanc) is a white wine variety used in the production of still, sparkling and sweet dessert wines.
Synonyms varieties: Pinot Bianco (Pinot Bianco), Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), Beli Pinot, Klevner (in Alsace), Blanc Vrai (in champagne)
Although this variety is not the most “glamorous” in the family of Pinot, it’s pretty versatile and has proved its value in different wine regions of Europe, including the French Alsace, the Italian Alto Adige and in Austria and Germany.
Place of origin Pinot Blanc is considered to be Burgundy, I’m his “spiritual home” can be called Alsace (Alsace). However, today this variety is here in the shadows of other stars of the region – Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
Pinot Blanc is often thought of as “understudy” of Chardonnay: it also gives the wines range from medium – to full-bodied, with good acidity and a supportive attitude to aging in oak.
Bouquet Pinot Blanc includes aromas of apples and almonds, sometimes with a slight smoky flavor. However, like Chardonnay, this variety is a real canvas for creativity of the winemaker, and the bouquet of the wine is very dependent on the method of vinification.
For Pinot Blanc from Alsace typical aromas of almond with notes of spices. On the palate, noticeable theme of apples (but closer to butter-flour range). Local wine can have some mineral characteristics, but they usually get drowned out by aging in oak, which is popular in the region. But crémant of Alsace (sparkling wine, champagne technology) is quite able to show some prickliness, though with soft hints of nuts.
Quirky rules of the appellation Alsace allow the contents in wine label Pinot Blanc indefinite amount of varieties Okserua (Auxerrois) – similar varieties, but slightly less acidic.
Generally, the words “Pinot Blanc” on the Alsatian the label says only that it is white wine from the varieties of the Pinot family (including black Pinot Noir), and very Pinot Blanc can even be in the minority.
Therefore, on the labels of Alsace wines, you can find an inscription like the label on the champagne – pinot blanc de blancs (i.e. “Pinot Blanc white”)
Curiously, for Alsatian wines labeled “Oxera” on the label of such a rule is not applied, as well as the Pinot Gris, for example, which suggests that the wine is made from Pinot Gris.
In Burgundy, Pinot Blanc is still allowed variety for wines of Grand CRU, although in practice it is used rarely in them. The situation is similar in champagne, where this variety is allowed for champagne blends, but plays the violin after the last of the three main champagne varieties – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
Outside of France, Pinot Blanc is widely represented in vineyards of North-West Italy, where it is called Pinot Bianco (Pinot Bianco). Here it is made lighter, fresh wine. As a rule, without the intervention of oak barrels, and often in the composition of blends. It is also one of the major varieties in the production of sparkling wines of Franciacorta (Franciacorta) – the Italian answer to Champagne.
In Germany under the name of Pinot Blanc (“white Burgundy”) of Pinot Blanc receive light cheerful wine, and in Austria – famous luxury sweet wines Trockenbeerenauslese. In Austria sort of got in the 19th century and currently quite common on the East of the country.
Commercial volumes of wine from Pinot Blanc are also produced in the United States, Canada, Argentina and Uruguay. The alcohol content of these wines ranges from medium to high, and the taste is noticeable, the acidity is above average. That is acidity made this variety popular with sparkling wine producers in California and sweet “ice wine” (ice wine), Canada.
Canadian valley Okanagan lake is a famous place for the production of quality still wines from Pinot Blanc.
Source: portal wine-searcher