The Seyval Blanc
Grape
A hybrid white grape variety, widely planted in England, Canada, and the northeastern United States. Seyval Blanc produces crisp, light wines with high acidity, showcasing flavors of green apple, melon, and citrus, often with mineral notes.
Seyval Blanc
Grape History
Seyval Blanc is a white wine grape variety that was created in the early 20th century by Bertille Seyve and Victor Villard, two French viticulturists. The grape is a hybrid of Seibel 5656 and Rayon d'Or, and was developed specifically to withstand the cooler climates of northern France and England. Seyval Blanc quickly gained popularity in these regions for its ability to produce high-quality wines in challenging growing conditions.
One of the key characteristics of Seyval Blanc is its resistance to cold temperatures, making it well-suited for cooler climates where other grape varieties may struggle to ripen properly. This adaptability has led to Seyval Blanc being planted in various wine regions around the world, including the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.
In terms of flavor profile, Seyval Blanc wines are known for their crisp acidity, citrus notes, and refreshing finish. The grape is often used to produce dry white wines, sparkling wines, and even dessert wines in some regions. Seyval Blanc is also commonly used in blending, as it can add complexity and balance to blends with other white grape varieties.
In the United States, Seyval Blanc is particularly popular in the Finger Lakes region of New York, where it thrives in the cool climate and limestone-rich soils. The grape is also grown in states like Virginia, Missouri, and Texas, where it has found success in producing high-quality wines that showcase the unique characteristics of the variety.
Looking towards the future, Seyval Blanc is expected to continue to be an important and versatile grape variety in regions with cooler climates. As climate change continues to impact traditional wine-growing regions, the cold-hardy and disease-resistant traits of Seyval Blanc may become even more valuable to winemakers seeking resilient grape varieties.
Overall, Seyval Blanc has established itself as a reliable and versatile grape variety with a long history of success in various wine regions around the world. Its ability to produce high-quality wines in challenging conditions makes it a valuable asset to the wine industry, and it is likely to remain a popular choice for winemakers and consumers alike in the years to come.
Introduction
Hello, my name is Franklin Laurel - Welcome!
I started drinking wine in 1992 when I was in my early twenties and recently married. Like many other young Southern Californians, it started out with White Zinfandel. As we were a couple of young DINKs just beginning life together, and on a budget, our go-to-wine was Sutter Home White Zinfandel, which tasted a lot like wine coolers and probably cost at the time $2.49. If we really were going to splurge, we would step it up and buy Beringer White Zinfandel for $2.99. Those were the days....
After a little time, we decided to get fancy. We stepped up our game and bought some wonderful 2-Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's. The Charles Shaw (Trader Joe's Exclusive Label) wine, also known as 2-Buck-Chuck extended our pallet into Reds for only $1.99 a bottle. Over the years we continued to grow in our understanding of wine (finally ran into some good wine) and we slowly kept buying better and better bottles.
Our first wine club purchase was from Kenwood's Vineyards, in Kenwood, California located in Sonoma Valley, right next to the famous Napa Valley. I began to learn about tobacco leather, and earthiness, and lots of other strange terminology when tasting their signature Zinfandels (of the red variety). So that is how it all began.
Fast forward a couple decades, and we have been members of five different wine clubs, and now have a passion for California's red wines. My favorite by far is Cabernet Sauvignon, while my wife fancies a good Syrah, Malbec, or Merlot - but she also loves the smell of a wine barrel room, which is all about the notes of Cabernet Sauvignon.
As I come across great wine resources and useful information that I find in planning my own wine trips, I will share here for anyone that might stumble across my humble website.
Cheers! - Franklin Laurel