You’ve probably come across many easy to drink and simple Pinot Blanc’s and probably haven’t felt true excitement when drinking this white-coloured Pinot. Well, that is a shame, because there truly are exciting Pinot Blanc wines, wines that tell you tales for ours to come, opening up to you when the evening progresses. It is such a versatile variety, it can move its way in oak, on the lees, only see stainless steel maybe they even make them with skin- contact.
Just give yourself the experience and buy ten different Pinot’s from all kinds of growing regions and winemaking styles and discover for yourself how awesome this variety can actually be. I always have a pair or two of this Pinot in my fridge, for those moments that you have guests that don’t know what wine they like, this wine is mostly a crowd pleaser to many.
It's Origin
Pinot Blanc is thought to be said to have originated in Burgundy, France. It has been known since the 14th century. Worldwide there are about 15,000 hectares of Pinot Blanc cultivated.
- Germany - (32%)
- Italy - (28%)
- France, Alsace - (23%)
- Austria - ( 9%)
- USA - (4%)
- Other, Luxemburg, Hungary, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Canada, Slovenia - (3%)
- Switzerland - (1%)
- New Zealand - (0.41%)
Family Ties
Pinot Blanc is a natural white colour mutation of Pinot Noir.
Climate and Soils
This variety grows in the cooler continental climate conditions in the above-named countries. As you might not expect, but Pinot Blanc is quite demanding when it comes to where it grows, which isn’t that weird at all seen it is a mutation of Pinot Noir. Pinot Blanc needs warm, preferably deep, and strong soils as well as exposed, dry warm growing sites. If these standards are met, including having a long ripening period, it can achieve high must weights to make incredible wines.
Vine Manual: How does Pinot Blanc Grow
- Early budding
- Early ripening
- Susceptible to fungal disease
- Consistent and reliable yields
- Small berries
- Packed clusters
It’s all in the Name Baby.
It also goes by other names as Weissburgunder or Klevner (Austria), Fehér Burgundi (Hungary), Pinot Bianco (Spain and Italy), Beli Pinot.
Tickle Your Taste Buds: Pinot Blanc Taste Profile
Generally, a wine made from Pinot Blanc has a pale lemon colour, medium - high acidity, medium alcohol, light to medium body and a low to medium flavour / aroma intensity. It is a fairly neutral wine.
Aromas and Flavours
Pear, Peach, Raw Almonds, Lemon Zest, Crushed Gravel.
Did you Know?
- Because Pinot Blanc is such a versatile variety it is used in the production of still, sparkling, and sweet dessert wines. It even makes for Ice wine in Canada for instance.
- In Germany, and Austria this variety is called Weissburgunder or Weisser Burgunder which translates literally to “White Burgunder”.
- Some quirky fact to say the least. In the Alsace there are wines labelled as Pinot Blanc, that may have an undisclosed proportion of Auxerrois blended into the wine, as where normally varietal labelled wines are only allowed to be a monocépages wine. The Auxerrois labelled wine though, cannot have any part of Pinot Blanc blended in the wine.
History Fact
Back in the 1900s Pinot Blanc was quite often mistaken for Chardonnay, seen its ampelographic similarities. Only once the grapes got to maturity you could tell that Chardonnay had loose hanging grapes on the bunches as where Pinot Blanc’ grapes where tightly packed together.
Luckily this variety is in an upward trend as it deserves, just can’t just go bad on taking a lovely bottle of Pinot Blanc to a party, especially one from Alsace or Baden, Germany or even Hungary with those volcanic soils. It is, like I said before, a crowd pleaser, which won’t disappoint. Just go ahead and try!
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What kind of wine is Pinot Blanc?
Expect a pale lemon coloured white with medium to high acidity, light to medium body and gentle aromas of pear, peach, raw almonds and lemon zest. It is a versatile crowd pleaser: winemakers raise it in stainless steel, in oak, on the lees and even with skin contact.
Where does Pinot Blanc come from?
Pinot Blanc is thought to have originated in Burgundy and has been known since the 14th century as a natural white mutation of Pinot Noir. Today about 15,000 hectares grow worldwide, led by Germany with 32 percent, Italy with 28 and Alsace with 23.
Is Pinot Blanc the same as Weissburgunder?
Yes. Weissburgunder is simply the German and Austrian name for Pinot Blanc, literally meaning white Burgundian. The grape also travels as Klevner in Austria, Pinot Bianco in Italy, Feher Burgundi in Hungary and Beli Pinot in Slovenia.
What is the difference between Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay?
The two look so alike in the vineyard that they were regularly confused in the 1900s. The giveaway comes at ripeness: Chardonnay hangs in loose bunches while Pinot Blanc packs its small berries tightly together, and in the glass Pinot Blanc stays fresher and more neutral.
What styles of wine are made from Pinot Blanc?
Still dry whites, sparkling wines, sweet dessert wines and even Canadian ice wine. One Alsace quirk: a wine labelled Pinot Blanc there may quietly contain a share of Auxerrois, while an Auxerrois labelled wine may contain no Pinot Blanc at all.
Resources
- French Wine Scholar Syllabus
- WSET Diploma Syllabus
- Jancis Robinson, “Pinot Blanc” - Accessed on March 17, 2024
- Wine Searcher, “Pinot Blanc Wine” - Accessed on March 17, 2024
Margot van Lieshout
Wine marketeer, sales expert with over 20 years in the trade, public speaker and international wine judge. Thousands of wines scored from Steiermark to Ningxia, and a trade she knows from the inside out. Wine with Margot is where she helps wine brands tell the stories that sell them.
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