A Tour of Wine Grapes: Pinot Blanc



Pinot Blanc 🥂

Pinot Blanc (pee-noh blahnk) originated centuries ago in Burgundy, France. It is not a separate grape species, but a natural, white-skinned color mutation of the red Pinot Noir grape. In fact, it shares the exact same genetic DNA fingerprint as Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.

It wasn't until 1895 that grape experts officially identified Pinot Blanc as its own distinct variety. Eventually, Burgundy phased it out in favor of Chardonnay.

Today, Pinot Blanc thrives in cool-climate vineyards across Europe and the New World, changing its name and personality depending on where it is grown. For example, in France, it serves as the base for Crémant d'Alsace which is France's most popular non-Champagne sparkling wine. In Germany, it is known locally as Weissburgunder. And, in Italy, it’s called Pinot Bianco.

The Pinot Blanc grape produces medium to full-bodied white wines with aromas of green apple, lemon zest, pear with floral notes. On the palate, these wines are described as zesty and refreshing with flavors of citrus and stone fruits, with moderate to high acidity.

Serve Pinot Blanc well-chilled between 45–50°F in a standard white wine glass

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Petite Sirah

Petite Sirah 🍷

Petite Sirah (peh-teet-sear-ah) was created by French botanist Dr. François Durif in the mid-1860s in an attempt to develop a vine resistant to mildew. The grape is also known as Durif in honor of its originator.

Unfortunately, the grape was largely discarded in France because its tight clusters were prone to rot in wet weather.

The grape was imported to Northern California in 1884. Today, more than 80% of the world’s planting of Petite Sirah are in California.

Petite Sirah is not the same as Syrah and is distinct from petit syrah which French growers use to describe small-berried clones of true Syrah.

Because the Petite Sirah berry (i.e., grape) is so small, it has a very high skin-to-juice ratio. This results in wines that are opaque with inky black-purple color.

Aromas include blueberry, violets, dark chocolate and black tea.

Flavors tend toward to black fruit such as blackberry and sugarplum along with cracked black pepper.

Because of the thick skin, Petite Sirah wines are considered a full-bodied and have very high tannin. The acidity tends to be medium to high.

It is commonly said that there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah.

Petite Sirah is very good for aging because of its very high tannin. High quality bottles can easily age for decades.

Serve Petite Sirah in a red wine glass at 60-68 F after decanting for at least an hour.

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo 🍷

Nebbiolo (neb-ee-oh-low) is one of Italy’s top red wine grapes, most famous for its role in the Piedmont (pyeh-MON-teh) region.

Nebbiolo is ancient royalty. The first written record of the grape dates all the way back to 1268 in a document from the Rivoli region of Piedmont. It has been beloved by Italian nobility, popes, and kings for over 700 years.

The name Nebbiolo comes from "nebbia," the Italian word for fog. This may come from the late October harvest, when it is typical for a thick fog to roll through the valleys and blanket the Piedmont hillsides. Or, just as likely, it refers to the fact that the grapes develop a milky, fog-like white powder (called bloom) over their dark skins as they mature.

While Nebbiolo is the grape, you’ll also see wines produced from this grape labeled as “Barolo” and “Barbaresco.” These are specific Italian regions that are legally required to use 100% Nebbiolo grapes.

In the glass, wines made from Nebbiolo look incredibly pale. It has a translucent, brick-orange or ruby tint that might make you think it will taste light and soft, like a Pinot Noir. But the moment you take a sip, you’ll experience its massive, mouth-drying tannins and sharp acidity.

Nebbiolo is famously described as having aromas of "tar and roses." It is a bit of a paradox, mixing scents of cherry, cranberry, and raspberry along with rose petals, licorice, and anise.

Flavors include sour cherry, cranberry, raspberry, and red currant. As it ages, it can develop notes of blood orange, black licorice, and black pepper, along with some tobacco leaf.

Nebbiolo is considered to be one of the greatest aging grapes in the world because of its high tannins and acidity. While young, its flavors are bright and intensely fruit-forward. But with age (10 to 20+ years), the wine develops savory, earthy, and complex notes (the classic “tar and roses” profile). Age also causes it to lose its color quickly; a 10-year-old bottle often takes on a orange, brick-like, or amber hue.

Nebbiolo should be served in a large, wide-bowled glass to capture its aromas. The ideal serving temperature is 60°F to 64°F, after decanting for 1 to 2 hours.

Because it is highly acidic and has strong, mouth-drying tannins, it pairs best with rich, fatty foods such as meats and cheeses.

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Mourvedre

Mourvèdre & Monastrell🍷

Mourvèdre is a thick-skinned, late-ripening red wine grape native to Spain, where it is known as Monastrell. Though it originated on the Iberian Peninsula, it has also found a famous secondary home along France’s Mediterranean coast and Southern Rhône Valley.

In Spain, Monastrell is frequently bottled as a single-varietal wine. In France, however, Mourvèdre (moohr-VED-ruh) is rarely bottled alone; instead, it is blended with Grenache and Syrah to create famous GSM wines.

Monastrell (moh-nah-STRELL) wines from Spain’s hot, intensely arid, and semi-desert environments are very fruit-forward, smooth, and tend to be high in alcohol. Aromas include blackberry, dark chocolate, licorice, and smoke.

GSM blends from France incorporate Mourvèdre to add structure and deep color to Grenache and Syrah. These full-bodied wines have medium acidity and medium-to-high tannins. This blend yields a complex mix of red fruit flavors (like ripe strawberry, raspberry, and red currant) alongside darker fruit profiles (such as blackberry, plum, and blueberry).

Serving Tips:

  • Monastrell: Serve in a standard red wine glass at 60–68°F after decanting for at least an hour.

  • GSM Blends: Serve in an oversized red wine glass at 60–68°F, decanting for about 30 minutes.

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Montepulciano

Montepulciano 🍷

Montepulciano (mon-tay-pull-chee-anno") is an Italian grape, mostly found in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

Although the Montepulciano grape shares its name with the Montepulciano region in Italy, the grape is from the Abruzzo region while the Montepulciano region is known for the Sangiovese grape. Are you still with me?

The modern era for the grape truly began in 1968 with the official creation of the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a very dark skinned grape. In fact, its skin is so rich in color pigments, the juice is instantly an opaque purple upon crushing whereas most red wines get their color from long soaking periods with the juice in contact with the skins (i.e., maceration).

Wines produced from the Montepulciano grape can have two styles. The medium-bodied wine is the standard. Everyday versions are aged in stainless steel. The full-bodied style is achieved through longer maceration periods and aging in oak barrels.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo has aromas of blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry and red plum. Herbal aromas can include sweet tobacco leaf, dried oregano and dried thyme. Flavors follow similarly with blackberry, plum, oregano and tobacco leaf. Oak aging yields flavors of vanilla and caramel as well as smoky and toasted flavors.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo can be aged 5-15 years.

It should be served in an oversized, bowl-shaped wine glass at 60-68 F, after being decanted for at least an hour.