Clairette
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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] The grape is also prone to oxidation, demanding careful winemaking practices to preserve aromatic expression.
Colour Varieties
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 and fennel-like notes but requires careful handling to retain freshness.[4]
Clairette Rose / Clairette Gris
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.[5]
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.[6]
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.[7]
- In Clairette de Die, Clairette Blanche is blended with Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains to produce sparkling wines using the ancestral method.[8]
- In Provence and Languedoc, Clairette may be bottled as a varietal wine, though its oxidative tendency makes this less common.
See also
References
- ↑ Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, Wine Grapes, HarperCollins, 2012, p. 228.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015.
- ↑ Johnson & Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine, 8th ed., 2019.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015.
- ↑ Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz, Wine Grapes, 2012.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015.
- ↑ Johnson & Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine, 8th ed., 2019.
- ↑ Syndicat des Vins de Clairette de Die, clairette-de-die.com.