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Auxerrois

The white grape variety originates from France. Synonyms grouped alphabetically by country are Aucerot (Australia); Kleiner Heunisch, Gelber Auxerrois, Weißer Auxerrois (Germany); Auxera, Auxerois, Auxerrois Blanc, Auxerrois Blanc de Laquenexy, Auxerrois de Laquenexy, Auxerrois Gris, Auxois, Auzerrois Blanc, Blanc de Kienzheim, Blanc de de Laquenexy, Ericey de la Montée, Okseroa, Pinot Auxerois, Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc Précoce, Riesling Jaune de la Moselle (France); Aukseroa Blan, Auxerrois Bijeli, Oinot Auxerrois, Okseroa (former Yugoslavia); Pinot Auxerrois (Canada).

Auxerrois - Weintraube und Blatt

It must not be confused with the varieties Chardonnay (Auxerrois), Melon de Bourgogne (Auxerrois Gros), Pinot Blanc (Auxerrois) or Pinot Gris (Auxerrois Gris), despite seemingly suggestive synonyms or morphological similarities. It is not a colour mutation of the red variety Cot (also with synonym Auxerrois). According to DNA analyses carried out in 2013, it is one of the many presumably natural crosses between Gouais Blanc (Heunisch) x Pinot. It was a parent of the also presumably natural cross Grünfränkisch. The early-maturing vine is susceptible to downy mildew, powdery mildew and botrytis. It produces neutral, low-acid white wines with honey aromas.

The Auxerrois variety was first mentioned in 1816 in the Moselle department in the Lorraine region. It used to be present in over 30 French départements. Today, it is mainly cultivated in Alsace, where it is often blended with Pinot Blanc. It is also cultivated on the Loire, in Lorraine and in the Jura. The area under cultivation in France totals 2,409 hectares. In Germany, it probably first appeared around 1800. There it is still widespread today under the name Kleiner Heunisch in the mixed vineyards of the historic vineyards. Here it occupies 267 hectares, mainly in the Baden and Palatinate growing regions (D-STATIS). Other populations also exist in Australia (0.1 ha), England, Canada (38 ha), Luxembourg (190 ha), Switzerland (3.5 ha) and South Africa. In 2016, a total of 2,853 hectares of vineyards were designated. This puts it in 149th place in the global grape variety ranking (Kym Anderson statistics).

Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)

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