Origin: The origin of Pinot varieties is thought to be the area between Lake Geneva (Switzerland) and the Rhône Valley (France). For a long time, no differentiation was made between Pinot blanc, Chardonnay and Auxerrois, as all three varieties are very similar.

Interbreeding: Pinot blanc probably originated from a mutation of Pinot noir, which may have been around for 2,000 years. 

Characteristics: The leaf is medium sized, pentagonal, three to five lobed and hardly deeply lobed .The white wine variety sprouts late, grows medium vigorous and ripens medium to late. In contrast to Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc is more prone to increased Botrytis infections due to its denser grape structure. 

Grape: The grape of this variety presents itself in medium size and is characterised by its densely packed berry structure. The grapes are cylindrical in shape and often have shoulders. The berries themselves are roundish to oval in shape and have a thin-skinned, yellow-green berry skin.

Wine: Pinot Blanc is a rich wine with a lively acidity reminiscent of apples and a distinct varietal character. Nevertheless, the overall impression is rather neutral. This wine develops slowly and reaches its highest quality only as a mature wine. Due to its subtle characteristics, Pinot Blanc is often used for blending with other grape varieties. In more southern growing regions, the variety often lacks acidity and has therefore been displaced there by Chardonnay.

Cultivation: The variety has high soil and site requirements. White Burgundy is not suitable for light, dry soils. In good vineyard sites and with sufficient ripeness, it produces high-quality, long-lasting wines. This variety needs soils with good water storage capacity and higher lime content. At the same time, medium-heavy soils and warm locations are important for good wine quality. On sandy and rocky soils, the wines tend to be less rich. Moist, low-lime soils should be avoided, as they can produce an atypical taste

Clones

• The clone FR 74 was for a long time the standard clone with good fertility and yields.
  
  
• The new Freiburg clones FR 2101 and FR 2102 are looser, less shouldered and produce high quality wines.

• The clone 1 Gm has loosely berried, large grapes, which makes it significantly more resistant to botrytis and rot than the compact clones. It shows a good must weight performance with a very good yield level. 

• The standard clone N 81 is described as loose-grained and less susceptible to botrytis. 
  
  
• The South Tyrolean standard clones Lb 16 and Lb 18 have a compact, shouldered grapes. They produce good and constant yields and are suitable for the production of quality wines. Lb 16 also produces excellent base wines for sparkling wine and is somewhat stronger in growth than Lb 18. The clone Lb 18 produces somewhat higher must weights than Lb 16.