Knipperlé
Encyclopedia
Knipperlé is a traditional French
French wine
French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...

 variety of white wine grape from Alsace
Alsace wine
Alsace wine or Alsatian wine is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white. These wines, which for historical reasons have a strong Germanic influence, are produced under three different Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées : Alsace AOC for white, rosé and red wines, Alsace Grand...

. It's not listed for use in AOC wine, but is a minor component of blends for local drinking, in some ways an Alsatian equivalent of its sibling Aligoté
Aligoté
Aligoté is a white grape used to make dry white wines in the Burgundy region of France, and which also has significant plantings in much of Eastern Europe including Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Bulgaria. With , it was the 22nd most planted vine variety in the world in 2004...

 in Burgundy
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...

.

History

Nurseryman Johann Michael Ortlieb brought the grape to Riquewihr in 1756. It is probably closely related to Räuschling
Räuschling
Räuschling is a white variety of grape used for wine. It is today almost only found in small amounts in German-speaking parts of Switzerland, where Räuschling can produce fruity, crisp white wines with good acidity. Räuschling has previously been much more common in Switzerland, Germany and Alsace...

.

DNA fingerprinting has shown that it is one of many grapes to be the result of a cross between Gouais Blanc
Gouais Blanc
Gouais Blanc or Weißer Heunisch is a white grape variety that is seldom grown today but is important as the ancestor of many traditional French and German grape varieties. The name Gouais derives from the old French adjective ‘gou’, a term of derision befitting its traditional status as the grape...

 (Heunisch) and Pinot
Pinot
-Grape varieties:* One of several grape varieties and associated wines** Pinot blanc ** Pinot gris ** Pinot meunier** Pinot noir...

, making it a full sibling of famous varieties such as Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...

. Gouais Blanc was widely grown by the peasantry in the Medieval ages. This offered lots of opportunities for hybridisation, and the offspring benefited from hybrid vigour as the parents were genetically quite different.

Knipperlé is a parent of the following grapes, mostly riparia hybrids with Millardet et Grasset 101-14 :
Bon Noir, Colmar Precoce Noir, Fin Noir, Gutkniperle, Kuhlmann 252-3, Kuhlmann 274-1, Millardet Et Grasset 101-14 X Ortlieber, Neron, Triomphe D'Alsace, Victoire

Distribution and Wines

Some Knipperlé is still grown in Alsace for local consumption, but is slowly disappearing.

Vine and Viticulture

The vine is vigorous but yields are variable, and it is particularly susceptible to grey rot.

Synonyms

Beli Kleschiz, Breisgauer Riesling, Colmer, Drobni Kleshiz, Elsaesser, Eltinger, Faktor, Gelber Ortlieber, Kauka Weiss, Kipperle, Klein Rauschling, Kleiner Gelber, Kleiner Methuesser, Klescec, Kleschiz Beli, Knackerle, Kniperle, Libiza, Mali Javor, Metsuesser Klein, Mielleux Petit, Oettlinger, Ortlibi Sarga, Ortlieber, Ortlieber A 2, Ortlieber Früh, Ortlieber Gelb, Ortlieber Grün, Ortlieber Spaet, Ortlieber Weiss, Ortlieber Weisser, Ortliebi, Ortliebske Rane, Ortliebstraube, Petit Mielleux, Raeuschling Klein, Reichenweiberer, Reichenweierer, Reichenweiherer, Rochelle, Rochelle Blanche, Roshel, Rungauer, Sibiza, Türkheimer

See also

  • Other Gouais Blanc/Pinot crosses include Aubin Vert
    Aubin Vert
    Aubin Vert is a white wine grape cultivar grown in the Lorraine region of France. Small vineyards are found in Bulligny, Bruley, Pagney and Rozérieulles. Within the last century, it has also been grown in Thiaucourt-Regniéville, d'Euvezin and Magny...

    , Auxerrois
    Auxerrois Blanc
    Auxerrois Blanc or Auxerrois Blanc de Laquenexy is a white wine grape that is important in Alsace, and is also grown in Germany and Luxembourg. It is a full sibling of Chardonnay that is often blended with the similar Pinot Blanc.-History:...

    , Bachet noir
    Bachet noir
    Bachet Noir is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. A little is still grown in the Aube, where it is used to add colour and body to Gamay wines.-History:...

    , Beaunoir
    Beaunoir
    Beaunoir is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. The 'beautiful black' grape produces a thin wine and not much is grown these days.-History:...

    , Franc Noir de la Haute-Saône
    Franc Noir de la Haute-Saône
    Franc Noir de la Haute-Saône is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. It makes thin, tart wine and has largely disappeared from cultivation.-History:...

    , Gamay Blanc Gloriod
    Gamay Blanc Gloriod
    Gamay Blanc Gloriod is an obscure French variety of white wine grape. Very little of it is grown commercially.It is named after Émile Gloriod, who discovered it as a seedling; it was originally thought to be a white version of the Gamay grape. "Gamay Blanc" was already used as an alternative name...

    , Gamay
    Gamay
    Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century...

    , Melon, Peurion
    Peurion
    Peurion is a traditional French variety of white wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Once quite popular, not much is still grown in France these days.-History:...

    , Romorantin
    Romorantin
    Romorantin is a traditional French variety of white wine grape, that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Once quite widely grown in the Loire, it has now only seen in the Cour-Cheverny AOC. It produces intense, minerally wines somewhat reminiscent of Chablis....

    , Roublot
    Roublot
    Roublot is a traditional French variety of white wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. It was once quite widely grown near Auxerre.-History:In the early 19th century, Roublot made up a third of the area in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux in the west of Chablis...

    , and Sacy
    Sacy (grape)
    Sacy is a white wine grape grown primarily in the central and northeastern France within the Yonne and Allier départments.Sacy ripens early, and produces light-coloured wines low in acid and alcohol.-Parentage:...


External links

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