Picardan

"Picardin" redirects here. For insect repellent, see picaridin.

Picardan
Grape (Vitis)
Picardan in Viala & Vermorel
Color of berry skin	Blanc
Species	Vitis vinifera
Also called	Araignan, Oeillade blanche, Picardan blanc
Origin	France
Notable regions	Southern Rhône
Notable wines	Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC
VIVC number	527

Picardan or Picardan blanc is a white wine grape which is one of 13 permitted blending grapes within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC in Rhône wine region in France, although very little planted.[1][2] The Vitis International Variety Catalogue previously listed Oeillade blanche as the primary name of the variety,[3] but now identifies Araignan as the primary name.[4] However, since the variety is practically unknown for any other use than the Châteauneuf-du-Pape blend, it most commonly goes under the name used for it in that appellation.

Picardan gives a wine which considered to be light and rather neutral in character.[1]

Wine

Picardan is also the name of a historical white wine from Languedoc, usually sweetish in character, traded in the late 17th and 18th centuries.[2] It is supposed to have been produced from the varieties Clairette blanche and Piquepoul blanc.[5]

Synonyms and relationship to other grapes

Synonyms include: Aragnan, Aragnan blanc, Araignan, Araignan blanc, Gallet, Gallet blanc, Grosse Clairette, Milhaud blanc, Oeillade blanche, Papadoux, Picardan, Picardan blanc, Piquardan, Piquardant.[3]

Picardan (but not Picardan blanc) is also a synonym for the white grape variety Bourboulenc,[6] which is also found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the dark-skinned variety Bouchales.[7] Picardan noir is a synonym for Cinsaut[8] and Bouchales.

Despite the synonym Oeillade blanche, Picardan is not a color mutation of the Languedoc and Provence wine grape Oeillade noire.[9]

References

1. Jancis Robinson, ed. (2006). "Châteauneuf-du-Pape". Oxford Companion to Wine (Third ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 160. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
2. Jancis Robinson, ed. (2006). "Picardan". Oxford Companion to Wine (Third ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 524. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
3. Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Oeillade blanche, accessed on May 5, 2008
4. Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Araginan, accessed on June 7, 2010
5. Wein-Plus Glossar: Picardan accessed on January 24, 2013
6. Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Bourboulenc Archived 2012-04-05 at the Wayback Machine, accessed on May 5, 2008
7. Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Bouchales Archived 2012-04-05 at the Wayback Machine, accessed on May 5, 2008
8. Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Cinsaut, accessed on May 5, 2008
9. J. Robinson, J. Harding and J. Vouillamoz Wine Grapes - A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours pg 743, Allen Lane 2012 ISBN 978-1-846-14446-2