Vidal Blanc
The white wine variety Vidal Blanc is a new breed by the French breeder Jean-Louis Vidal. It is a cross between Ugni Blanc and Rayon d'Or (= Seibel vine 4986); it is therefore a hybrid grape over the Rayon d'Or variety . The variety originated in the 1930s. The primary goal of Vidal, who comes from the Charente department , was to breed new vines suitable for the production of cognac .
Because of its winter hardiness, the grape variety is cultivated especially in Canada and the eastern United States . See also the articles → Viticulture in New Hampshire , → Viticulture in New Jersey , → Viticulture in New York , → Viticulture in North Carolina , → Viticulture in Ohio and → Viticulture in Pennsylvania .
Compared to Johanniter or Regent , the Vidal Blanc is slightly less susceptible to downy mildew ; However, it is not as robust as Seyval Blanc, for example, and requires a lot of care work in the vineyard. Like many interspecific grape varieties (this is another expression for the hybrid grape), the Vidal Blanc also tends to have magnesium deficiency symptoms.
The wine is fruity and quite acidic with a slight grapefruit note and a pronounced currant note (cassis tone). Therefore, with Vidal Blanc it is also possible to produce sparkling wine . A particular specialty is the production of ice wine in Canada. Because of its acidity, Vidal Blanc is predestined for wines with residual sweetness .
See also the articles Viticulture in France , Viticulture in Canada, and Viticulture in the United States, and the list of grape varieties .
Synonyms: Vidal, Vidal 256
Descent: Ugni Blanc × Rayon d'Or (= Seibel 4986)
Web links
- Vidal Blanc in the database Vitis International Variety Catalog of the Institute for Vine Breeding Geilweilerhof (English)
literature
- Pierre Galet : Cépages et vignobles de France, Tome 1 - les vignes américaines . 2nd Edition. 1988, ISBN 2-902771-03-7 .
- Pierre Galet: Dictionnaire encyclopédique des cépages . 1st edition. Hachette Livre, 2000, ISBN 2-01-236331-8 .