Baco Blanc - Wine Regions

Wine Regions

Baco Blanc is found primarily in France and was one of the "work-horse" hybrids that the country turned to following the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century. While scattered plantings could be found throughout France, most of the Baco Blanc plantings could be found on the west side of the country (in many of the areas where its parent vine, Folle Blanche is found, from the South West France wine regions of Gascony all the way to the Loire Valley where it was particularly popular Muscadet and Anjou wine-Saumur regions of the "Middle Loire". The early to the mid-20th century saw a particular "boom period" in the Loire, with its cool maritime climate in most areas, for hybrid varieties. At late as 1979, Baco Blanc along with other hybrid grapes such as Baco Noir, Chambourcin, Plantet and Villard noir accounting for more than 10% of all grape plantings.

But since the mid to late 20th century, the grape variety has fallen out of favor among French wine producers who are continuing pulling up their hybrid grapes and returning to vinifera-only plantings (which are permitted for Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée AOC wines). Even in its Armagnac stronghold, Baco Blanc vines are being uprooted and replanted with Ugni Blanc. Similarly, Baco Blanc experienced a brief period of popularity in the emerging New Zealand wine industry during the 20th century but as that century drew to a close, New Zealand producers also turned away from the variety to concentrate on vinifera grapes such as Müller-Thurgau, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Today, what little Baco Blanc is left in New Zealand is used primarily for distillations and spirits.