Tag: Know Your Grapes

Trepat is a red varietal indigenous to Catalonia, Spain. It is best known for producing light, fresh, and aromatic sparkling rosé and still red wines.  This grape typically has bright red fruit flavors like strawberry and cherry, along with subtle spice and herbal notes.  Historically, Trepat was mostly used for blending, but winemakers have increasingly…

Vidal Blanc is a hybrid of Ugni Blanc (a Vitis vinifera variety) and Rayon d’Or (a hybrid grape).  Developed in France by Jean Louis Vidal in the 1930s, it’s particularly well-suited to colder regions due to its hardiness and resistance to winter freezes.  Thick-skinned and golden when ripe, it has high acidity, making it ideal…

Baco Noir is a hybrid of the French white grape Folle Blanche and an unknown North American red variety. It was created in 1902 by François Baco, a French grape breeder, to resist phylloxera, a root louse that devastated European vineyards in the 19th century.  It thrives in cooler climates where other varietals might struggle…

Jacquère is known for producing light-bodied, crisp, and mineral-driven wines.  This white varietal is prized for its ability to reflect the mountainous terroir of the Savoie region, particularly in the foothills of the French Alps.  Prominent appellations include Apremont, Abymes, and Chignin.  While it represents about 50% of all vineyard plantings in Savoie,  it’s rarely…