"Working the Land" (Viticulture)
- Vigor (low/high)
- Fairly vigorous and will produce a large crop if not controlled/managed.
- Adaptability
- Excellent resistance to cold weather. Limestone soil with some clay is the ideal composition for growing Pinot Blanc
- Yield (potential)
- Moderate – but more productive – than Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir. When yields are naturally limited by spare soils, the potential for quality rises
- Growth cycle
- Early budding and early ripening
- Diseases
- Tight clusters make it susceptible to Botrytis (especially in richer soils) and powdery mildew
Growing and Making Pinot Blanc (in California)
Pinot Blanc is a straightforward variety in the vineyard, with solid acid retention meaning that it can handle warmer conditions, although it is most famously grown in relatively cool sites. Given its subtle fruit profile, the wines are occasionally made somewhat like Chardonnay. But while the variety might seem to resemble Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc produces a different style of wine. Like Chardonnay, it can be manipulated in the winery to a desired style. On its own, it is moderately full-bodied and comparatively subtle in flavor profile compared with most other white wine grapes.
Working the Land:
Does soil influence the flavor of the final wine?
Traditionalists answer unequivocally “Yes!” Soil is a key element of “terroir,” the natural environment in which vines grow, along with climate (temperature, rainfall), topography (altitude, drainage, slope, aspect) and sunlight.
A more unorthodox view holds that the influence of soil on what you taste in the glass is a myth. Maynard Amerine and Ann Noble, two famous names at UC Davis, California’s premier wine school and research facility, conducted a study on the topic. Though the study is based on Chardonnay grapes, they concluded that the following holds true for all wine grapes: “no outstanding sensory differences were observed in wines produced from different soil type locations.” The key word is “sensory” (sight, smell, taste). They are not claiming that soil doesn’t affect vine behavior (yield, growth cycle, etc.).
The subject is most certainly up for further debate. That said, here is a brief review of how Chenin Blanc, according to the classic view, expresses itself in the glass based on the type of soil in which it is grown.
Pinot Blanc is much easier to grow than Pinot Noir. Although it has a small canopy, it is relatively fruitful, so cane pruning, while used, is not always necessary. In California, there are currently eight registered clones of Pinot Blanc with FPS (Foundation Plans Services) at UC Davis. 05 and 06 originate from northeastern Italy; 07 and 07.1 are both from Oregon and thought to be French (ENTAV-INRA) clone 55.
Sustainability and California
As an agricultural industry, the California wine community has a long history of adapting to change and demonstrating its commitment to sound environmental practices and social responsibility. Building on these efforts are the educational and certification programs of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). Established by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, CSWA is the most comprehensive and widely adopted wine sustainability program in the world, and– together with other important sustainability programs in regions throughout the state– has made California wine a leader in addressing climate change.