Beaunoir (French pronunciation: [bonwaʁ]) is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. The 'beautiful black' grape produces a thin wine and not much is grown these days.
| Beaunoir | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 | |
| Color of berry skin | Noir |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | Pinot D'Orleans (more) |
| Origin | France |
| VIVC number | 1062 |
History
editDNA fingerprinting has shown that it is one of many grapes to be the result of a cross between Gouais blanc (Heunisch) and Pinot, making it a full sibling of famous varieties such as Chardonnay and Aligoté. Gouais blanc was widely grown by the French peasantry in the Medieval ages. This offered many opportunities for hybridisation, and the offspring benefited from hybrid vigour as the parents were genetically quite different.
Other Gouais blanc/Pinot crosses include Aubin vert, Auxerrois, Bachet noir, Franc Noir de la-Haute-Saône, Gamay Blanc Gloriod, Gamay noir, Melon, Knipperlé, Peurion, Romorantin, Roublot, and Sacy
Viticulture
editBeaunoir is quite vigorous, producing small compact bunches of small grapes.
Wine regions
editLike Bachet noir, Beaunoir has almost disappeared from its home in Châtillon-sur-Seine and the Aube, between Champagne and Burgundy. The wine is very ordinary, with low alcohol and little color.
Synonyms
editCep Gris, Co Gris, Mourillon, Pinot D'Ai, Pinot D'Orleans, Seau Gris, Sogris[1]
References
edit- ^ Maul, Erika; Töpfer, Reinhard; Eibach, Rudolf (2007). "Vitis International Variety Catalogue". Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof (IRZ), Siebeldingen, Germany. Retrieved 2007-08-30.