Vidal Blanc is a hardy grape varietal that is produced from the Vitis vinifera variety Ugni blanc (aka Trebbiano Toscano) and another hybrid variety, Rayon d’Or.
It was initially bred in the 1930s by Jean Louis Vidal with the intention of creating a cognac. However, the hardiness of the grape has made it widely popular in New York and Canadian wine country.
This grape is a superstar in places like Canada, NY, and (yes) Ohio, because it’s a variety that survives winter and manages to produce high sugar levels and crisp acidity in cold climates. It is no longer authorized for wine production in France, though it’s widely popular in North America.
If you are an ice wine fanatic, this varietal may sound familiar. Because of the tough outer skin of the fruit, it is well adapted for the production of ice wine. It’s a mid-ripening grape able to gather sufficient sugar levels to produce dry wines but can also hang on the vine longer to produce late-harvest and ice wine. Thus, it is versatile in its ability to produce sweet and dry whites. In any case, Vidal Blanc tends to be fruity and have aroma notes of fresh pineapple and bitter grapefruit.
You can find Ugly Bunny’s one-of-a-kind dry Vidal Blanc at Montavino Wine Market in our local wine section or make the drive to Ugly Bunny in Loudonville to try some on sight. You can compare it to Farmer’s White, a sweet Vidal Blanc blend also available here at Montavino. We also carry Lincoln Way Vineyards’ award winning dry Vidal Blanc, “One Fifty-Five” (not pictured), so you can buy a bottle here and see what the hype is all about! These all make lovely gifts for out-of-towners looking for local wine from the Wayne/Holmes County area.
So glad we could clear this one up. And to think- you were #TooAfraidToAsk !
