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'''Clairette''' (French: [klɛʁɛt]) is a family of white and coloured [[grape varieties]] from southern [[France]], most widely represented by '''Clairette Blanche'''. It is among the oldest authorised grapes in the [[Rhône Valley]] and [[Provence]], where it has been cultivated since at least the [[Middle Ages]].<ref>Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes'', HarperCollins, 2012, p. 228.</ref> While overall plantings have declined, Clairette remains significant in blends and in the production of traditional [[sparkling wines]].  

== Background ==  
Clairette has a long history in southern France, with early references in [[Languedoc]] and Provence. It was later incorporated into the permitted [[cépages]] of [[Châteauneuf-du-Pape]] and spread into the neighbouring [[Languedoc-Roussillon]] and [[Provence]] regions.<ref>Robinson (ed.), ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'', Oxford University Press, 2015.</ref> Small amounts are also grown in [[South Africa]] and [[Australia]].  

== Viticultural Characteristics ==  
Clairette vines are vigorous and late-ripening, well suited to warm, dry conditions. They often accumulate high [[sugar]] while retaining relatively low [[acidity]], which can limit freshness if not harvested at the right moment.<ref>Johnson & Robinson, ''The World Atlas of Wine'', 8th ed., 2019.</ref> The grape is also prone to [[oxidation]], demanding careful winemaking practices to preserve aromatic expression.  

== Colour Varieties ==  

=== Clairette Blanche ===  
{{Main|Clairette Blanche}}  
The most widespread and historically significant form, Clairette Blanche is a white-berried variety central to the sparkling wines of [[Clairette de Die]] and a permitted blending grape in [[Châteauneuf-du-Pape]]. It yields [[full-bodied]] wines with [[floral (note)|floral]] and [[fennel (note)|fennel]]-like notes but requires careful handling to retain freshness.<ref>Robinson (ed.), ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'', 2015.</ref>  

=== Clairette Rose / Clairette Gris ===  
{{Main|Clairette Rose}}  
A pink-skinned mutation also known as Clairette Gris, grown in very small quantities in southern France. It is primarily used in blends to contribute [[body]] and [[texture]], though varietal bottlings are rare.<ref>Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, ''Wine Grapes'', 2012.</ref>  

=== Clairette Noire ===  
{{Main|Clairette Noire}}  
The black-skinned mutation, historically recorded in Languedoc but now almost extinct. It has little role in modern viticulture, though historical sources suggest it was occasionally used in regional blends.<ref>Robinson (ed.), ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'', 2015.</ref>  

== Use in winemaking ==  
Clairette grapes are valued for their aromatic lift and body.  
* In the southern Rhône, Clairette Blanche is blended with [[Grenache Blanc]] and [[Roussanne]] in both still and [[fortified wines]].<ref>Johnson & Robinson, ''The World Atlas of Wine'', 8th ed., 2019.</ref>  
* In [[Clairette de Die]], Clairette Blanche is blended with [[Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains]] to produce sparkling wines using the [[ancestral method]].<ref>Syndicat des Vins de Clairette de Die, clairette-de-die.com.</ref>  
* In Provence and Languedoc, Clairette may be bottled as a varietal wine, though its oxidative tendency makes this less common.  

== See also ==  
* [[Clairette Blanche]]  
* [[Clairette Rose]]  
* [[Clairette Noire]]  
* [[Châteauneuf-du-Pape]]  
* [[Clairette de Die]]  

== References ==  
{{reflist}}  

[[Category:Grape varieties]]  
[[Category:White wine grape varieties]]  
[[Category:French wine]]