Pinot blanc and weissburgunder

Pinot blanc arose as a mutation within the Pinot family. The South Tyrol wine consortium describes the grape as a mutation of Blauburgunder (Pinot noir) and assumes it originated in the 14th century. The Deutsches Weininstitut calls the grape a mutation of Pinot gris, known since the 14th century.

For a long time pinot blanc was confused with chardonnay. According to Vins d'Alsace, the grape was distinguished from chardonnay in 1896 following a congress decision, as a white variant of pinot noir. The South Tyrolean consortium reports that an exact distinction only became customary after 1970.

The same grape bears a different name in each country. In France the label says pinot blanc, in Germany Weißburgunder or Weisser Burgunder, in Italy pinot bianco.

In Alsace you may also know the name Klevner. According to the South Tyrolean consortium, the grape has been called Clevner there since the middle of the 16th century. Note: Klevener de Heiligenstein is something different. According to its specification, that Alsatian designation of origin is made from savagnin rose.

An Alsace wine with 'Pinot blanc' on the label may, under the specifications of the AOC Alsace, consist of pinot blanc and auxerrois. If it says 'Pinot' or 'Klevner', pinot gris and white-vinified pinot noir may also be included.

Vins d'Alsace confirms that Pinot Blanc is often blended with Auxerrois. Such a wine is then called Pinot Blanc or Pinot; a wine made only from Auxerrois carries the name Auxerrois. According to the specifications, the wine region itself lies in 119 municipalities in the departments of Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin, on a strip some 120 kilometres long and often less than a kilometre wide.

Pinot blanc is the grape most often used in Crémant d'Alsace, writes the trade magazine Gilbert & Gaillard. The specification also permits auxerrois, chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir and riesling for white crémant. Rosé versions come exclusively from pinot noir.

The bubbles come from a second fermentation in the bottle, the traditional method. The wine spends at least 9 months on the lees in the bottle and may only be sold to consumers after at least 12 months of maturation. The AOC Crémant d'Alsace was recognised in 1976; according to Gilbert & Gaillard, crémant accounts for a quarter of Alsace wine production.

In Germany, weissburgunder is the third white grape after riesling and grauburgunder. According to the Deutsches Weininstitut, plantings grew from 2,594 hectares in 2000 to 6,362 hectares in 2024. Three quarters of those vineyards lie in Rheinhessen, Baden and the Pfalz.

In northern Italy, South Tyrol (Alto Adige) is a core area. The consortium reports the first planting in 1852 in Brixen, followed by Nals, Eppan, Terlan and Marling. In 2025 there were 611 hectares, mainly around Eppan, Kaltern, Terlan, Tramin and Ritten, in airy sites up to 800 metres altitude. Vins d'Alsace names egg dishes, white meat and young cheeses as traditional accompaniments.

In the shop on the Brink there are bottles from France and Germany. From Germany you could choose, for example, the Ellermann-Spiegel Weissburgunder Trocken or the Markus Molitor Haus Klosterberg Pinot Blanc.

From Alsace we have the Domaine René Muré Pinot Blanc Les Iris, the Domaines Schlumberger Les Princes Abbés Pinot Blanc, the Dopff au Moulin Pinot Blanc and the Dopff au Moulin Domaine Familial Pinot Blanc Sur Lie. If you are looking for bubbles, you will find the Dopff au Moulin Crémant d'Alsace Cuvée Julien Brut.

Not sure which bottle goes with your dish? Drop by at Brink 2 in Bathmen or call 0570 541 278.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.