Pinot Noir Précoce or, as it is called in parts of Germany, Frühburgunder is a dark, blue-black–skinned,

variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years ago, ...

used for

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

and is a form or mutation of

Pinot noir Pinot Noir () is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words for ''pine'' and ''black.' ...

, which differs essentially by

ripening Ripening is a process in fruits that causes them to become more palatable. In general, fruit becomes sweeter, less green, and softer as it ripens. Even though the acidity of fruit increases as it ripens, the higher acidity level does not make the ...

earlier than normal (thus the use of the descriptive nomination 'précoce'). Whilst sometimes treated as a separate grape variety by ampelographers,Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Pinot Precoce Noir
accessed on November 18, 2009 there are nevertheless those who consider it is simply an early ripening form of Pinot Noir, and in some cases, Pinot Noir Précoce wines may therefore be found straightforwardly labelled "Pinot noir". As it seems highly likely that Pinot Noir Précoce is simply a natural early ripening mutation of Pinot noir, it is extremely likely to have occurred and been selected and specially cultivated in many different Pinot growing regions (e.g., Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace, Loire, and throughout many older German vineyards) on many separate occasions throughout the long history of Pinot noir cultivation in Europe. Wines from Pinot Noir Précoce are closely similar to, if not indistinguishable from, those of Pinot noir, and it is far from clear that anything distinguishes its wines other than oenological characters resulting from its early ripening (e.g., relatively fuller flavor development, lower acidity, and the like).

Geographical distribution

The early ripening of Pinot Noir Précoce means that it is primarily popular in colder wine regions, and most of the current plantations are found in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. Up until the early 20th century, it was one of the most grown varieties in the

Ahr Ahr () is a river in Germany, a left tributary of the Rhine. Its source is at an elevation of approximately above sea level in Blankenheim in the Eifel, in the cellar of a timber-frame house near the castle of Blankenheim. After it crosses fro ...

region, but then declined to only in the 1960s, and was on the verge of becoming extinct due to problems of vine diseases. In the 1970s, the

Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute The Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute was founded in 1872 and is located in the town of Geisenheim, in Germany's Rheingau region. In 1876 Swiss-born professor Hermann Müller joined the institute, where he developed his namesake grape variety ...

took an interest in it, and began selecting virus-free clones suitable for propagation.Wein-Plus Glossar: Frühburgunder
accessed on March 6, 2013
accessed on November 18, 2009 The variety has thereafter had a modest revival in Germany, and in 2008 plantations stood at .German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2009-2010
It also attracts some interest in new regions characterised by

cool climate viticulture Cool commonly refers to: * Cool, a moderately low temperature * Cool (aesthetic), an aesthetic of attitude, behavior, and style Cool or COOL may also refer to: Economics * Country of origin labelling * mCOOL - US consumer legislation to enfo ...

up to as far north as Estonia

Synonyms

Pinot Noir Précoce is also known under the following synonyms: Augsttraube, Augustiner blau, Augustklevner, Augusttraube, Black Inly, Blaue Jakobstraube, Blauer Frühburgunder, Burgundac Crni Rani, Burgunder Früh Blau, Burgunder Früher Blauer, Champagner Schwarz, Clävner Früh, Clevner Frühburgunder, Frauentagtraube, Frühburgunder, Frühburgunder Blau, Frühe Jakobstraube, Früher Blauer Klevner, Frühreifer Schwarzer Burgunder, Frühtraube, Gospinsza, Ischia, Iskiya, Jackobstraube, Jacobi, Jacobitraube, Jacobstraube, Jacobszoeloe, Jakubske, Jakubske Skore, Juliusi Szoeloe, July Grape, Korai Kek Kisburgundi, Laurenzitraube, Laurenziustraube, Loerinc Szoeloe, Lujega, Luviana Veronese, Maddalena , Madeleine noire, Magdalenentraube, Magdolna Szoeloe, Möhrchen, Morillon Hatif, Morillon Noir Hatif, Morillon Parisien, Noir Précoce de Gênes, Noir Précoce de Hongrie, Noir Printannier, Petit Noir Précoce, Petit Noirin, Pineau De Juillet, Pineau Madeleine, Pino Cornij Ranij, Pino Rannii, Pinot Hatif de Rilly, Pinot Madeleine, Pinot Nero Précoce, Pinot Noir Précose, Pinot Plant de Juillet, Pinot Pommier, Pinot Précoce Noir, Pinot Rannii, Pinot Timpuriu, Plant Printanier, Précoce noir, Raisin de Juillet, Raisin de la Madelaine, Raisin de St. Jean, Raisin Précoce, Rani Modri Burgrendac, Saint Jacques, Szent Anna Szoeloe, Tidlig Bla Burgunder, Trauentagtraube, Tuannes Negres, Uva De Trivolte, Uva Di Tre Volte, Vigne D'ischia and Zherna Mushza.

Offspring

The variety

Madeleine Royale Madeleine Royale is a variety of white grape. It is mostly grown for table grapes or ornamental purposes, but is notable as a parent of Müller-Thurgau and Madeleine Angevine. It ripens extremely early, in some cases by the 22 July, the feast day ...

is a seed plant of Pinot Noir Précoce.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinot Noir Precoce Red wine grape varieties