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What's in a Name
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Author:  Bacchus [ Mon May 16, 2011 9:45 am ]
Post subject:  What's in a Name

From Wikipedia

Crouchen or Crouchen Blanc is a variety of white grape. It has its origins in France, although it is now rarely grown there. Instead, it is more commonly found in Australia, where it is often referred to as "Clare Riesling", and in South Africa, where it is often called "Cape Riesling", "Paarl Riesling" or simply, "Riesling".

The wines made from Crouchen are generally not of a high quality and despite the confusion caused by it often being referred to as "Riesling". It is distinctly different to Rhine Riesling or Weisser Riesling.

I read elsewhere that Sémillon was (is?) also called Riesling in Aurtralia

Author:  pontac [ Tue May 17, 2011 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's in a Name

Grape varieties being known by other names in different places is actually the norm and the miss-identification of varieties is common.

I know of supposedly single variety vineyards where there is a row or two of another variety because of a mix up at the nursery that delivered the vines for planting, and I know of new world vineyards that had vines (including Chardonnay) brought from France that were found years after planting when they had reached maturity to be something else.

The item says that Crouchen Blanc is ‘Distinctly different’ to Rhine Riesling. Hmmm.... I have seen a table of wine writers and wine makers share a bottle of Crouchen Blanc under the impression it was Riesling and not make a comment. I have sat next to a German couple enjoying a bottle of Crouchen Blanc labelled as Riesling and I asked them about it. They said they lived in a Riesling producing area of Germany and drank Riesling regularly and so I asked them how the one in their glass compared and they said it was very good.

It is not easy as it seems to tell what is on your glass, you tend to believe the label. Also with different vine clones, terroirs and winemaking styles there can be great differences between how a variety tastes.

In the vineyard it is not easy to identify grape varieties – again there can be great clonal differences.

I rather enjoy Crouchen Blanc – it makes a crisp dry white without high alcohol and indeed Theuniskraal Riesling (which was in fact Crouchen Blanc) has been a best selling wine in South Africa for many decades.

The Wikipedia article is – as usual – not wholly accurate: it is no longer legal in South Africa to label Crouchen Blanc as Riesling.

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