Pinot Blanc

The Underrated Classic

Pinot Blanc is a white wine grape variety mostly associated with Alsace, the wine region in France’s North East that is very much influenced by years under German rule.

A mutation from Pinot Gris, it was first noticed in the nineteenth century in Burgundy. For many years it was mistaken for Chardonnay due to its full body and light flavour.

Flavour

Pinot Blanc tends towards apple, peach and pear flavours, with plenty of lemon acidity. Better examples, especially those in Austria, have a pronounced flaked almond aroma.

Style Range

Pinot Blanc goes to making mostly dry white wines with medium body, acidity, and alcohol. Some better examples might show a fuller body balanced by equally higher acidity.

Dessert wines from Pinot Blanc are less well known but are well worth checking out. Very tasty, and layered TBAs are produced in Austria using noble rot to dry out the grapes and concentrate the flavours. Ice wine from Pinot Blanc is now being produced in Canada’s colder vineyards.

Pinot Blanc can also be used in the traditional method sparkling Crémant D’Alsace in France, in Franciacorta in Northern Italy and in California.

Also Known As

Pinot Bianco (Spain, Italy)
Weissburgunder (Austria)
Weisser Burgunder
Bijeli Pinot (Croatia)
Klevner (Alsace)
Blanc Vrai (Champagne)

Structure

Pinot Blanc is very similar to Chardonnay in structure, meaning it can have a very different profile depending on terroir and vintage. Mostly, however, you’re looking at medium body, medium-high acidity and medium alcohol.

Food Pairings

Pinot Blanc is a great pairing with lots of light lunch-type dishes including white meat, fish, salads and soft cheese. Its refreshing acidity can cope well with creamy sauces and dressings.

Growing Regions

FRANCE – ALSACE
In Alsace ‘Pinot Blanc’ does not necessarily mean that this grape is used. Instead this merely denotes a white wine made from difference pinot varieties.

LUXEMBOURG
The cool climate wine regions on the French border are home to a few hectares of Pinot Blanc. It tends to be a little to acidic here though.

GERMANY
Known in Germany as Weissburgunder, it produces great value, food-friendly wines in two relatively distinct styles. It can be full and rich from the more southerly regions of Baden and Pfalz, or more delicate and mineral from the Nahe and Mosel.

AUSTRIA
Pinot Blanc, also known as Weissburgunder in Austria, can produce some very good wines. Nearly all major wine regions in Austria have some hectares of Pinot Blanc.

The best dry white wines have a definite almond aroma, can be relatively high in alcohol, and can even be suitable for ageing. It can also be made into luscious and botrytised sweet wines known as TrockenBeerenAuslese…more simply known as TBA!

ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE
Pinot Blanc is grown in pockets around Italy as Pinot Bianco, most famously in the sparkling wine region of Franciacorta. It is also widely grown across the ex-Soviet bloc including countries in the former Yugoslavia, Czech Republic, and Hungary where it’s known as Beli Pinot.

ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD
Some Pinot Blanc is grown in California, although not huge quantities as its effectively seen as a lower quality version of Chardonnay. It’s a bit unfair, but sadly that’s how it is. Some fat and oaky butterball examples are coming out of Monterey, as well as some Pinot Blanc going into crisp sparkling wines.

Canada’s Okanagan Valley is also developing a reputation for excellent Pinot Blanc, which is also made into ice wines when the vintage dictates.