Gray Pinot

The pinot gray or tokay pinot gray is a white Cépage with the generous character which develops an opulence and a savor characteristics. Framed, round and length in mouth, it has complex flavors of underwoods sometimes slightly smoked or floral.

Origin and geographical distribution

It probably comes from the area of Burgundy. It is a gray variation of the black Pinot. It is distinguished from the black pinot only by the color of its bays.

It is produced in Alsace since long years. Noble type of vine, it has name Alsace Great wine. One makes of it also Late Grape harvest and Selection of Noble Grains.

Until the beginning of the Années 1980 the Alsatian ones regularly called this type of vine tokay of Alsace or tokay, very short. In 1984 following a complaint of the Hungarians in front of the European commission, an agreement was found with them, those renoncant at the end Médoc , used on certain labels, in exchange of what the Alsatian ones would make be reproduced transitorily on their labels tokay pinot gray , in the place of simple the tokay . This period of transisition ends on April 1st, 2007. The wines at the beginning of Alsace will not have to be marked any more on the label but type of vine “gray pinot”.

The tokay gray pinot would have been brought back of Hungary by Lazare de Schwendi, after its victory with Tokaj in the North-East of the Hungary over the Turkish in 1565. It orders the multiplication of these type of vine seedlings on its grounds with Kientzheim. However, no type of vine seems to him today related in Hungary. The wines of Tokay of Hungary result with majority from Furmint, Hárslevelü and white Muscat to small grains. The Tokay of Alsace would be originating in Burgundy where it is known under the name of pinot beurot .

In Swiss, it is presented in the form of a happy alternative to traditional the Chasselas. It bears the name of Malvoisie in the Canton of Were worth.

In the valley of the Loire it is cultivated in the area of Nantes, it then has name Coteaux of Ancenis Malvoisie, marrowy wine white with white fruit aromas very fine (pear, sins).

In Italy, it is classified auxiliary type of vine in DOC. Breganze, Carso, Colli Berici, Colli del Trasimeno, Colli dell' Etruria Centrale, Colli di Scandiano E di Canossa, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Colli Piacentini, Collio Goriziano, Franciacorta, Friuli Annia, Friuli Aquileia, Friuli Grave, Friuli Isonzo, Friuli Latisana, Garda, Garda Colli Mantovani, Lison Pramaggiore, Montello E Colli Asolani, Oltrepò Pavese, Vini del Piave, Piemonte, Sant' Antimo, Torgiano, Trentino, Valcalepio, Valdadige, Valdichiana, Valley of Aoste and Valle Isarco.

Characters ampelographic

End of the young branch almost cottony white to become duveteux blanchâtre.
Young fluffy sheets then aranéeuses and finally glabrous.
adult Sheets, whole or with 3 lobes with a petiolar sine in narrow quadrant or on board recovering itself, of the ogival and average teeth, a limb slightly aranéeux.

Farming aptitudes

Maturity is of first time: with the chasselas.

Technological potential

The bunches and the bays are of small size. The bunch is cylindrical, seldom winged and compact. The wines have a beautiful yellow color gilded.

Synonyms

The pinot gray known under the names of is affumé, arnoison gray, gray auvergnas, gray auvernat, auxerrat, Auxerre-native gray, auxois, burgundske sede, burot ( dress of bore-hole ), druser, fauvet, friset, gray fromenteau, fromentot, Grauburgunder, Grauclevner, Grauer Mönch, gray cordelier, gray of Dornot, griset, levraut, malvoisy, malvoisien, Mauserl, gray moréote, moréote gray red, ashy nutmeg, ouche, small gray, pinot Beurot, pinot ashed, Pinot grigio, roter Burgunder, ruhlandi, rulandac sivi, ruländer, szürkebarát, Speyrer, Tokay of Alsace, Viliboner