Varietal purity

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A wine consisting of a grape variety vinified is, is sorted or varietal called and often named after this species.

Single-variety wines became popular again with the modern penchant for labeling wines with the name of their grape variety. Cabernet Sauvignon , Chardonnay , Merlot , Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir have become so famous.

The opposite of varietal purity is the blend (cuvée). Varietal purity mainly plays an important role in the wine culture of German-speaking countries ( viticulture in Germany , viticulture in Austria , viticulture in Switzerland but also viticulture in Luxembourg ), where the term “blend” has a negative aftertaste. French and other top European wines are usually blends of two or more types. In these countries, people are aware that blending does not necessarily mean lower quality.

Nevertheless, there is also an abundance of single-variety wines in France ( viticulture in France ): In addition to the Alsace wine-growing region , where Riesling , Gewürztraminer , Pinot Noir and Pinot gris are offered, the Burgundy wine-growing region with its white wines from Chardonnay and the red wines from Spätburgunder is also available as an important representative of single-variety wines. But also the Beaujolais (with the Gamay variety ) and the northern Rhône offer an abundance of the wines called mono-cépage in France ( Viognier in Condrieu, Syrah in Saint-Joseph, Croze-Hermitage, Hermitage and Cornas). Many of the white wines of the Loire are varietal plants made from the grape varieties Chenin Blanc , Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadet . In northern Italy ( viticulture in Italy ) the Barolo and Barbaresco are made from 100 percent Nebbiolo grapes.

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