Mondeuse Blanche
Mondeuse Blanche (pronounced [mɔ̃.døz blɑ̃ʃ]; French for “white Mondeuse”) is a rare white grape variety from the Savoie region of eastern France, primarily cultivated for wine production.[1] Ampelographic and DNA profiling studies have identified it as one of the two parents of the red grape Syrah, the other being Dureza.[2] Although historically more widespread, its cultivation has declined sharply and is now limited to a small number of vineyard parcels, where it is valued for its aromatic potential and contribution to traditional Savoie blends.[3]
History
Mondeuse Blanche is believed to have been cultivated in the Alpine foothills of Savoie for centuries, although historical documentation of the variety is scarce.[4] Its name suggests a relationship with the red variety Mondeuse Noire, yet DNA profiling has confirmed that the two are not closely related.[5] In 1998, genetic research revealed that Mondeuse Blanche is the maternal parent of Syrah, crossed with Dureza in south-eastern France, most likely in the northern Rhône area.[6] The grape was historically more widely planted in Savoie and parts of the Isère and Drôme departments, but phylloxera and changing market preferences led to its near extinction.
- ↑ Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO), “Mondeuse Blanche – Cépage”, inao.gouv.fr. (French original)
- ↑ Bowers, Boursiquot et al., “Historical Genetics: The Parentage of Syrah Wine Grapes”, Journal of Heredity, Vol. 93, No. 3, 2002.
- ↑ Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, Wine Grapes, HarperCollins, 2012, ISBN 978-0062206367.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015, ISBN 978-0198705383.
- ↑ Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC), “Mondeuse Blanche”, vivc.de. (English original)
- ↑ Bowers, Boursiquot et al., “Historical Genetics: The Parentage of Syrah Wine Grapes”, Journal of Heredity, Vol. 93, No. 3, 2002.