Bia blanc

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Bia blanc is a white French wine grape variety that is no longer commercially cultivated for wine production with only a few plantings existing worldwide in viticultural archives and experimental vineyards. The exact origins of Bia blanc are not yet known though ampelographers have noted that the grapevine shares some morphological similarities to the red Isère grape Peloursin, one of the parent varieties to Petite Sirah (Durif). [1]

Contents

Eco-geogroup

In the 20th century, ampelographers Louis Levadoux and (decades later) Linda Bisson categorized Bia blanc as a member of the Pelorsien eco-geogroup along with Durif, Béclan, Dureza, Exbrayat, Jacquère, Joubertin, Mondeuse blanche, Peloursin, Servanin and Verdesse. [1]

Synonyms

Over the years, Bia blanc has been known under a variety of synonyms including: Bear, Beard and Biard. [2]

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Carignan is a red grape variety of Spanish origin that is more commonly found in French wine but is widely planted throughout the western Mediterranean and around the globe. Along with Aramon, it was considered one of the main grapes responsible for France's wine lake and was a substantial producer in jug wine production in California's Central Valley but in recent years, it has been reborn as a flagship wine for many cellars in the south of France as well as in Catalonia.

Durif Red wine grape

Durif is a variety of red wine grape primarily grown in Australia, California, France, and Israel. Since the end of the 20th century, wineries located in Washington's Yakima River Valley, Maryland, Arizona, Texas, West Virginia, Chile, Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, and Ontario's Niagara Peninsula have also produced wines from Durif grapes. It is the main grape known in the U.S. and Israel as Petite Sirah, with over 90% of the California plantings labeled "Petite Sirah" being Durif grapes; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recognizes "Durif" and "Petite Sirah" as synonyms for the same grape. It produces tannic wines with a spicy, plummy flavour. The grape originated as a cross of Syrah pollen germinating a Peloursin plant. On some occasions, Peloursin and Syrah vines may be called Petite Sirah, usually because the varieties are extremely difficult to distinguish in old age.

Furmint Variety of grape

Furmint is a white Hungarian wine grape variety that is most noted widely grown in the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region where it is used to produce single-varietal dry wines as well as being the principal grape in the better known Tokaji dessert wines. It is also grown in the tiny Hungarian wine region of Somló. Furmint plays a similar role in the Slovakian wine region of Tokaj. It is also grown in Austria where it is known as Mosler. Smaller plantings are found in Slovenia where it is known as Šipon. The grape is also planted in Croatia, where it is known as Moslavac. It is also found in Romania and in former republics of the Soviet Union. Furmint is a late ripening variety. For dry wines the harvest starts usually in September, however sweet wine specific harvest can start in the second half of October or even later, and is often affected by Botrytis.

Peloursin is red French wine grape variety best known for crossing with Syrah to make the red wine grape Durif. The variety is believed to have originated in Isère from the northern Rhône-Alpes region. Today Peloursin can be found in some quantities in California and in the Australia wine region of Victoria.

Rhone Rangers

The Rhone Rangers are a group of American winemakers who promote the use of grape varieties from the Rhône Valley. They are mostly based on the West Coast, particularly California, and have created a not-for-profit organization for the promotion of wines containing at least 75% of the 22 Rhône grape varieties. The name is a pun on The Lone Ranger, and was coined by Wine Spectator to describe Randall Grahm for their 1989 April 15 issue, which featured Grahm dressed as the Long Ranger under the title "The Rhône Ranger" (singular). The name was subsequently used for other winemakers.

Mondeuse blanche is a variety of white grape almost exclusively found in and around the Savoy (Savoie) wine region in France. With just 5 hectares of plantations in 1999, it leads a dwindling existence and is used primarily in the VDQS wine Bugey and the AOC Vin de Savoie.

Dureza Variety of grape

Dureza is a dark-skinned French wine grape variety from the Ardèche department of south central France in the Rhône-Alpes region. The grape is most widely known for being the father vine of Syrah—a discovery that confirmed that the Syrah vine was native to France and not introduced to the country from Persia, Sicily, Egypt or elsewhere, as had been speculated.

Jacquère Variety of grape

Jacquère is a variety of white grape found primarily in the Savoy wine region of France. It is a high-yielding vine variety which is used to produce lightly scented, refreshing and gently aromatic dry white wine, such as Vin de Savoie. Jacquère is the grape used in Apremont wines and is the usual wine paired with cheese fondue. It is also found in Bugey wines.

Arbane is a white French wine grape variety that has been historically grown in the Aube region of Champagne, but has now all but disappeared from the vineyards with less than 1 hectare left in France in 2006. Despite its rarity, it is still permitted grape variety to be blended with Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier and other varieties in the Champagne cuvée.

Joubertin is a red French wine grape variety that was historically grown in the Savoie wine region of southeast France. The grape was once prized for its productivity and high yields but its plantings have declined as the grape has fallen out of favor and it is now on the verge of extinction.

Verdesse Variety of grape

Verdesse is a white French wine grape variety grown primarily in the Bugey AOC of eastern France. It is also permitted under the Vin de Savoie AOC for wines produced in the Isère department up to a maximum allowance of 10%. Ampelographers believe that the variety is likely very old and originated along the Drac and Grésivaudan valleys in Isère.

Servanin Variety of grape

Servanin is a red French wine grape variety grown predominantly in the Isère department in eastern France. While the variety has a long history in the region, plantings have been steadily declining since the early 20th century with the vine now close to extinction.

Aubin vert is a white French wine grape variety that is grown in the Lorraine region where it is an authorized variety for the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wines of the Moselle. While often confused for the Côtes de Toul grape Aubin blanc, DNA analysis in 1999 showed that Aubin vert was the result of a crossing of Gouais blanc with Pinot. This makes the grape a half-sibling to Aubin blanc but full sibling to Chardonnay, Aligoté, Gamay and Melon de Bourgogne.

Enfariné noir is a red French wine grape variety that is grown predominantly in the Jura wine region of eastern France. Despite being known under the synonym Gouais noir in the Aisne, Aube, Marne, Meuse and Seine-et-Marne departments, the grape has no known connection to the Gouais blanc wine grape that is the parent of several wine grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Gamay and Melon de Bourgogne. While once widely planted throughout the Franche-Comté, the grape is now nearly extinct with less than 1 hectare of the variety planted in 2008.

Béquignol noir is a red French wine grape variety that originated in Southwest France but is now more widely grown in the Mendoza wine region of Argentina where it is often used to add color to blends. The grape is often confused with several other red wine varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Durif, Fer and Prunelard with Béquignol noir sharing several synonyms with these grapes. However DNA profiling has shown Béquignol noir to be distinct from those grape varieties. Further research in 2011 showed that Béquignol noir may have a parent-offspring relationship with the Savagnin grape.

Mauzac noir is a red French wine grape variety that is grown in Southwest France. Despite the similarities in name, Mauzac noir is not a color mutation of the white Limoux wine grape Mauzac that is an important component in the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) sparkling wine Blanquette de Limoux. Today Mauzac noir is nearly extinct but at least one grower in the Gaillac AOC is attempting to revive the variety and make varietal examples of the grape.

Giró blanc is a pink-skinned Spanish wine grape variety grown in the Balearic islands where it used in white wines produced under the Illes Balears appellation. Ampelographers believe that the grape is indigenous to Majorca with DNA profiling showing no known relationship to the Sardinian wine grape Girò or to Grenache which is known as Girò on Majorca.

Prié blanc Variety of grape

Prié blanc is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown almost exclusively in the Valle d'Aosta DOC of northwest Italy. The Valle d'Aosta varietal wine Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle is made from Prié blanc grapes.

Luglienga Variety of grape

Luglienga is a white Italian wine and table grape variety that is grown across Europe. The grape has a long history of use, dating back to at least the 14th century in Piedmont but is today most seen a table grape that is occasionally used for home winemaking.

Biancone di Portoferraio is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown almost exclusively on the island of Elba off the coast of Tuscany. Some ampelographers have speculated that the grape may have originated on the French island of Corsica where the grape shares a close genetic relationship with the Corsican wine grape Biancu Gentile.

References

  1. 1 2 Robinson, J.; Harding, J.; Vouillamoz, J. (2012). Wine Grapes – A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours. Allen Lane. p. 779. ISBN   978-1-846-14446-2.
  2. Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) Bia blanc Archived 2014-01-02 at the Wayback Machine Accessed: January 2nd, 2014