Gros Manseng

The white grape variety originates from France. Synonyms are Gros Mansenc, Gros Manseng Blanc, Manseng Gros Blanc (France); Izkiriot Haundi, Iskiriota Zuri Handia (Spain). The very old variety was first mentioned in 1562 in Jurançon by a wine, namely "vinhe mansengue", but it was not until 1783 that a text distinguished between the two varieties Petit Manseng (with small berries) and Gros Manseng (with large berries). Pierre Galet (1921-2019) had already noted great morphological similarities between the two varieties in 1990. However, the parentage of Gros Manseng is unknown. Gros Manseng was a crossing partner in the new variety Heranecot.

Gros Manseng - Weintraube und Blatt

The late-maturing vine is susceptible to powdery mildew, but resistant to botrytis. It produces spicy, acidic white wines with aromas of citrus and apricot and a bitter aftertaste. The variety occupies 3,046 hectares of vines in south-western France in the areas of Béarn, Floc de Gas cogne, Côtes de Gascogne, Irouléguy, Jurançon and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh. Across the nearby border, it is grown on 13 hectares in Chacolí de Alava and Chacolí de Bizkaia in the Basque Country in northern Spain. There are also small populations in Australia (10 ha), Brazil and Uruguay. In 2016, a total of 3,069 hectares of vines were reported, with an increasing trend (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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Gros Manseng

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