| Bourboulenc | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
| Leaves of Bourboulenc vines | |
| Color of berry skin | Blanc |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | See list of synonyms |
| Origin | France |
| Notable regions | Southern Rhône, Provence, Languedoc |
Bourboulenc is a white wine grape variety primarily grown in southern France. The variety is found in the regions Southern Rhône, Provence and Languedoc.[1]
Bourboulenc is a late-ripening grape variety with tight bunches of large grapes, that can be prone to rot in some years. Well-made Bourboulenc wine can have good acidity level, body, penetrating character, citrus aromas and a hint of smoke, but if the grapes are picked too soon the wines have a thin, neutral taste.[2]
There were about 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of Bourboulenc in France around the year 2000.[1]
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Varietal Bourboulenc is rare, but is allowed into a number of white wine appellations of southern France. Only in white La Clape, a geographical designation that may be used in conjunction with the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Coteaux du Languedoc, is Bourboulec the dominant grape variety. White La Clape must contain a minimum of 40% Bourboulenc.[3]
French AOCs that may include the variety are:
Bourboulenc has been grown in southern France for centuries, and it has been proposed that it could be of Greek origin. The French vineyard area grown with Bourboulenc dropped by about half in the 1970s and doubled again in the 1980s, and Bourboulenc has primarily increased in popularity in Languedoc.[1]
Synonyms for Bourboulenc include Berlou Blanc, Blanquette, Blanquette du Frontonnais, Blanquette du Gard, Blanquette Menue, Bourbojlanc, Bourboulenco, Bourbouleng, Bourboulenque, Bourbounenco, Burbulen, Clairete Dorée a Paulhan, Clairette á Grains Ronds, Clairette Blanche, Clairette Doree, Clairette Grosse, Clairette Rousse, Clairette Rousse du Var, Doucillon, Frappad, Grosse Clairette, Malvoisie, Malvoisie a la Clape, Mourterille, Ondenc, Picardan, Roussaou, Roussette, Roussette Du Vaucluse.[5] Note that these synonyms overlap with the proper names and synonyms of several other varieties of Rhône and nearby regions, such as Altesse, Clairette Blanche and Picardan.