Wines made from Bourboulenc grapes of Pays d'Oc
Discover the best wines made with Bourboulenc as a single variety or as a blend of Pays d'Oc.
Bourboulenc is mainly grown in the southern part of France. It is a white grape variety that ripens quite late. It can only be harvested around 25 September and for an average of only one month. Bourboulenc is particularly fond of low-lying, but at the same time warm and dry locations. The aroma of this grape variety is not very pronounced, but it has a certain exotic fruit and floral aroma such as broom. The result is a low alcohol wine with subtle and fleeting aromas. Blanquette, bourboulanc, bourboulenque, doucillon, clairette dorée and clairette blanche are all names that can designate bourboulenc. This grape variety is very sensitive to diseases common to all vine plants such as magnesium deficiency, mildew and oidium. Bourboulenc can be used as a table grape. Most French people keep the bunches until Christmas in order to present them on the festive table as desserts.
Pays d'Oc is the PGI for red, white and rosé wines that are produced over a wide area of the southern coast of France. The PGI catchment area corresponds roughly to the Languedoc-roussillon">Languedoc-Roussillon wine region, one of the largest wine regions in France. The area covers all wines that are not produced under the strict laws that govern AOC-level appellations in the regions: among them, Corbières, Minervois and the Languedoc appellation itself. The Pays d'Oc PGI is arguably the most important in France, producing the majority of the country's PGI wines.
At a national committee meeting held on Thursday 8th September, members of the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) voted unanimously to ratify the change to the appellation guidelines to allow white wines into AP Gigondas. A working group of growers and négociants has been pursuing the amendment for 11 years. The amendment states that white Gigondas must contain a minimum 70% Clairette. Other permitted varieties include Bourboulenc, Clairette Rose, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blan ...
The award-winning author shares his observations from half a century of wine discovery in his latest book, Drinking with the Valkyries. Jefford was praised for the ‘peerlessly precise use of the English language’ displayed within his collection of revised essays, opinions and articles. However, he faces fierce competition from a trio of highly-rated drinks writers: Dave Broom, Jennifer Regan-Lefebvre and Camper English. Broom, a former André Simon winner, travels around his native Scotland visit ...
France’s 2022 wine harvest is likely to be between 42.6 million and 45.6m hectolitres, up by 13% to 21% on the frost-hit 2021 vintage and more in-line with the country’s five-year average. One hectolitre is equivalent to 100 litres. Yet drought could impact on yields in the coming weeks, adding extra uncertainty in several regions, said the French agriculture ministry’s Agreste statistics unit. Expected vintage quality isn’t covered by the preliminary outlook. It added the 2022 growing season is ...