Chasselas
Chasselas or Chasselas blanc is a wine grape variety grown mainly in Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, Romania, New Zealand and Chile. Chasselas is mostly vinified to be a full, dry and fruity white wine. It is also suitable as a table grape, grown widely for this purpose in Turkey and Hungary.
| Chasselas | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 Chasselas grapes growing in Baden under its local name Gutedel | |
| Color of berry skin | Blanc |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | Chasselas blanc, Fendant, Gutedel, and other synonyms |
| Notable regions | Switzerland, Baden (Germany), Loire (France) |
| VIVC number | 2473 |
History
Genetic analyses made in 2009 in a laboratory of the University of Dieppe showed that Chasselas is a grape variety originating in western Switzerland.[1] Its name was first mentioned in the 16th century.
In 1940, Chasselas was crossed with Silvaner to produce the white grape variety Nobling.[2]
Wine regions
Chasselas is widely grown in Switzerland, where it has several regional synonym names, the main one being Fendant in the canton of Valais. It is considered an ideal pairing for raclette or fondue. Chasselas is also known as Perlan in the Mandement district of Geneva. In 2009, it was Switzerland's second-most planted grape variety at 4,013 hectares (9,920 acres).[3]
In Germany, with 1,123 hectares (2,770 acres), it is almost exclusively grown in the wine region of Baden under the name Gutedel.[4]
In France it is mostly grown in the Loire region, where it is blended with Sauvignon blanc to produce a wine called "Pouilly-sur-Loire". Californian and Australian growers know this variety under the names Chasselas Doré and Golden Chasselas.
Michel Chapoutier has stated that he is looking for land for a vineyard in England, which would be planted with Chasselas. He said that he believed Chasselas would suit the English climate and terroir very well.[5]
Synonyms
Chasselas is also known under the synonyms Abelione, Abelone, Albilloidea, Alsacia blanca, Amber Chasselas, Amber Muscadine, Bar sur Aube, Bela Glera, Bela žlahtnina, Berezka Prostaya, Berioska Casla, Beyaz Gutedel, Biela Plemenika Praskava, Biela Plemincka Chrapka, Biela Plemincka Pruskawa, Blanchette, Blanquette, Bon blanc, Bordo, Bournet, Bournot, Ceasla, Charapka, Chasselas, Chasselas Angevin, Chasselas bianco, Chasselas Blanc Royal, Chasselas Blanchette, Chasselas Crognant, Chasselas Croquant, Chasselas de Bar-sur-Aube, Chasselas de Bordeaux, Chasselas de Florence, Chasselas de Fontainebleau, Chasselas de Jalabert, Chasselas de la Contrie, Chasselas de la Naby, Chasselas de Moissac, Chasselas de Montauban, Chasselas de Mornain, Chasselas de Pondichéry, Chasselas de Pontchartrain, Chasselas de Pouilly, Chasselas de Quercy, Chasselas de Rappelo, Chasselas de Tenerife, Chasselas de Teneriffe, Chasselas de Thomeri, Chasselas de Toulaud, Chasselas de Vaud, Chasselas di Fountanbleau, Chasselas di Thomery, Chasselas Dorada, Chasselas Dorato, Chasselas Dore, Chasselas Dore Hatif, Chasselas Dore Salomon, Chasselas du Doubs, Chasselas du Portugal, Chasselas du Roi, Chasselas du Serail, Chasselas du Thor, Chasselas Dugommier, Chasselas Dur, Chasselas Fendant, Chasselas Hatif de Tenerife, Chasselas Haute Selection, Chasselas Jalabert, Chasselas Jaune Cire, Chasselas Piros, Chasselas Plant Droit, Chasselas Queen Victoria, Chasselas Reine Victoria, Chasselas Salsa, Chasselas Tokay Angevine, Chasselas Vert de la Cote, Chasselas White, Chasselat, Chrupka, Chrupka Biela, Chrupka Bila, Common Muscadine, Danka Belaya, Dinka Belaya, Dinka blanche, Dobrorozne, Doppelte Spanische, Dorin, Doucet, Eau Douce blanche, Edelschoen, Edelwein, Edelweiss, Edelxeiss, Elsaesser, Elsasser Weiss, Fabian, Fabiantraube, Fábiánszőlő, Fehér Chasselas, Fehér Fábiánszőlő, Fehér gyöngyszőlő, Fehér ropogós, Fendant, Fendant blanc, Fendant Roux, Fendant vert, Florenci Jouana, Fondan Belyi, Franceset, Franceseta, Frauentraube, Gamet, Gelber Gutedel, Gemeiner Gutedel, Gentil blanc, Gentil vert, Golden Bordeaux, Golden Chasselas, Grossblaettrige Spanische, Grosse Spanische, Grosser Spaniger, Gruener Gutedel, Gutedel, Gutedel Weiss, Gutedel Weisser, Gyöngyszőlő, Junker, Koenigs Gutedel, Kracher, Krachgutedel, Krachmost, Lardot, Lourdot, Maisa, Marzemina bianca, Marzemina Niduca, Morlenche, Mornan blanc, Mornen, Mornen blanc, Most, Most Rebe, Moster, Pariser Gutedel, Perlan, Pinzutella, Plamenka Belyi, Plant de Toulard, Plant de Toulaud, Plemenika Praskava, Plemenka, Plemenka Bela, Plemenka Rana, Pleminka Biela, Praskava, Pruscava Biela, Queen Victoria, Queen Victoria White, Raisin D'officier, Ranka, Rebe Herrn Fuchses, Reben Herm Fuchs, Reben Herrn, Rheinrebe, Rosmarinentraube, Rosmarintraube, Royal Muscadine, Sasla, Sasla Bela, Schoenedel, Shasla Belaya, Shasla Dore, Shasla Lechebnaya, Shasla Viktoria, Silberling, Silberweiss, Silberweissling, Silberwissling, Strapak, Suessling, Suesstraube, Sweetwater, Sweetwater White, Temprano, Temprano blanco, Terravin, Tribi Vognoble, Tribiano Tedesco, Ugne, Uslechtile Bile, Valais blanc, Viala, Viviser, Waelsche, Waelscher, Weisser Gutedel, Weisser Krachgutedel, White Chasselas, White Muscadine, White Sweetwater, White Van der Laan, Žlahtina, Žlahtnina, Žlahtnina bijela, Zlatina, and Župljanka.[6]
References
- J. F. VOUILLAMOZ et C. ARNOLD Etude historico-génétique de l’origine du ‘Chasselas’ (PDF) Archived 2016-08-05 at the Wayback Machine, Université de Neuchâtel, NCCR Plant Survival, 2009
- J. Robinson Jancis Robinson's Guide to Wine Grapes pg 129 Oxford University Press 1996 ISBN 0198600984
- Office fédéral de l’agriculture OFAG: Das Weinjahr 2009 / L'année d'viticole 2009 Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
- German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2007-2008 Archived September 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- Adam Lechmere, "Chapoutier looks for English vineland", Decanter.com News, Thursday 12 May 2011
- Chasselas Blanc Archived 2012-01-21 at the Wayback Machine, Vitis International Variety Catalogue, accessed 2010-07-14