The white grape variety originates from France. The name means "highness" and derives from the hypothesis that it was introduced into France by a Savoyard prince. Synonyms are Altesse Blanche, Altesse Verte, Anet, Arin, Fusette, Fusette d'Ambérieu, Fusette de Montagnieu, Ignam, Ignan Blanc, Mâconnais, Marestel, Petit Mâconnais, Plant d'Altesse, Prin Blanc, Roussette, Roussette Basse, Roussette de Montagnieu, Roussette de Seyssel, Roussette Grosse, Roussette Haute, Roussette Petite and Serène Blanche. It must not be confused with the Furmint, Jacquère, Roussanne, Roussette d'Ayze or Viognier varieties, despite the synonyms or morphological similarities that seem to indicate it.
The first mention of the vine comes from the Savoy nobleman Marquis Costa de Beauregard in 1774. According to one hypothesis, it originated in the Orient and was introduced from Cyprus in the 15th century by Louis of Savoy (1436-1482), who was also king of that island. However, there is no evidence for an oriental origin. The ampelographer Pierre Galet (1921-2019) suggested that it might at least be related to the Hungarian Furmint, but this was refuted by DNA analyses carried out in 2009. There is, however, a close genetic relationship to the Chasselas variety. The variety Roussette d'Ayze originates from a presumably natural cross with Gouais Blanc.
The medium to late ripening vine is susceptible to both powdery mildew and botrytis. It produces acidic, fragrant white wines with exotic aromas of violets, honey and almonds with storage potential, which are well suited for sparkling wines. The variety is mainly grown in Savoie, where it is often blended with the varieties Aligoté, Chardonnay, Gringet and Jacquère. It is permitted in the areas of Roussette de Savoie, Seyssel and Vin de Savoie. Smaller stocks also exist in the Var and Vaucluse departments of Provence. The area under cultivation is 222 hectares. There is one stand with 5 hectares in the Swiss canton of Vaud. In 2016, a total of 227 hectares of vineyards were designated (Kym Anderson).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)
