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Aug 13
41m 15s

Ep 574: The Grape Miniseries -- Pinot Bl...

Elizabeth Schneider
About this episode

In this week's show, I cover Pinot Blanc as part of the grape miniseries.

 

Pinot Blanc is a white color mutation of Pinot Noir, native to Burgundy/Bourgogne. It creates refreshing light- to medium-bodied wines that run the gamut from simple sippers to much more complex, oak-aged versions, to excellent sweet and sparkling wines.

Photo: Pinot Blanc.  Credit: Wines of Austria

 

This lovely grape is often described as a “workhorse” and not treated with much reverence, partially because it is often seen as inferior to its cousin Chardonnay. But a handful of producers these days are showing that Pinot Blanc can be a lot more than a light sipper. When grown on the right sites and treated well, this grape can create beautiful, complex wines. With its high acidity and medium sugars, it is also extremely versatile -- making great still, sparkling, dry, or sweet wines.

 

In the show, as I always do with the grape miniseries, I cover the history of the grape, how it behaves in the vineyard, the aroma and flavors and how it changes with winemaking. I end with where it is grown and food pairing ideas.

 

This show has a lot of producer names in it because I know that it is hard to find good versions of Pinot Blanc, so I’m trying to steer you in the right direction.

 

Full show notes with producer names and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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