Merlot blanc
A rare white offspring of Merlot and Folle blanche.
Merlot blanc is a white French wine grape variety that originated from a natural crossing of Merlot and Folle blanche. It is distinct from Merlot gris, a pink-skinned mutation of red Merlot, and is not used for White Merlot wines made from red Merlot. First discovered in 1891, the variety remains very rare due to limited propagation.
Quick Facts
- Parent varieties
- Merlot and Folle blanche
- Year discovered
- 1891
Facts from the source article.
Relationship to other grapes
Initially believed to be a white-berried color mutation of Merlot, similar to Grenache blanc or Pinot blanc, DNA analysis later confirmed Merlot blanc is an offspring of Merlot crossed with Folle blanche. Inheritance analysis of 55 genetic markers across 9 chromosomes established this relationship, distinguishing it from Merlot itself, which is a crossing of Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes.
Wine regions
Merlot blanc is a permitted variety in several Bordeaux AOCs, including general AOC Bordeaux (but not Bordeaux Supérieur), where it can comprise up to 30% of the blend alongside Semillon (minimum 70%), Sauvignon blanc, Muscadelle, Colombard, Mauzac, Ondenc, and Ugni blanc. Harvest yields for AOC production are limited to 55 hl/ha, with finished wines requiring at least 11% alcohol. Other AOCs allowing Merlot blanc include Bordeaux-Haut-Benauge (50 hl/ha), Côtes de Bourg (60 hl/ha), and Entre-Deux-Mers (60 hl/ha), where it plays a supporting role to Semillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle.
More in White Wine Grape Varieties from France
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