Counoise

Counoise
Grape (Vitis)

Counoise in Viala & Vermorel
Color of berry skin Noir
Species Vitis vinifera
Origin France
Notable regions Rhône valley
Notable wines Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Counoise grapes

Counoise is a dark-skinned wine grape grown primarily in the Rhône valley region of France. Counoise is also grown in California. Counoise adds a peppery note and good acidity to a blended red wine, but does not have much depth of colour or tannin.[1] There were 638 hectares (1,580 acres) of Counoise in France in 2000.[2]

Counoise is one of the grapes allowed into the blend of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. In 2004 only 0.5% of the appellation's area was planted with Counoise.[3] Some producers who favour the variety use about 5% of it in their blends, and those account for most of the plantings. One such producer is Château de Beaucastel, which is noted for using all the 13 allowed varieties.[2]

Counoise and Aubun

Counoise is easily confused with Aubun, because of a large similarity in the vineyards. Counoise and Aubun were also grown mixed in a field blend in some older vineyards.[2] However, Counoise is considered to be a grape of higher quality, while Aubun has a reputation for giving simpler wines.[1]

Synonyms

Synonyms for Counoise include Aubon, Caula, Conese, Connoges, Connoise, Couneso, Counoise noir, Counoiso, Counoueiso, Damas noir, Grosse Rogettaz, Guenoise, Moustardier, Quennoise.[4]

Counoise is also listed as a syononym for Aubun, most likely due to confusion between the two in the vineyard.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Oz Clarke Encyclopedia of Grapes Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0-15-100714-4
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jancis Robinson, ed. (2006). "Counoise". Oxford Companion to Wine (Third Edition ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 208. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
  3. www.chateauneuf.dk: Grapes, accessed on June 18, 2008
  4. Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Counoise, accessed on June 18, 2008
  5. Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Aubun, accessed on June 18, 2008
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