Blanc de Noir means a white wine, usually Champagne, that is made using black grapes.
Blanc de Noir Meaning
Blanc de Noir is French and translates as “white from black”, meaning white wine from black grapes.
Blanc de Noir is a term used on Champagne labels to denote a white wine made using black grapes.
For Champagne, this usually means Pinot Noir and or Meunier grapes were used to make the wine.
Why Blanc de Noir term is used
Using the term Blanc de Noir on a Champagne label provides specific information about how the Champagne was made.
There are seven permitted grape varieties for the Champagne AOC.
The three most common varieties used to make Champagne are:
- Chardonnay – a white grape that makes up 31% of plantings for Champagne grapes
- Pinot Noir – a black grape that makes up 38% of plantings for Champagne grapes, making it the most widely planted or common grape variety for Champagne.
- Meunier – a black grape that makes up 31% of plantings for Champagne grapes.
Most Champagne is a blend of different grape varieties, often all three of the grape varieties listed above.
So, when Champagne is labelled “Blanc de Noirs” that indicates that it is not a blend of white and black grapes.
It means it is made using black grapes only, so it is likely made from Pinot Noir and/or Meunier grapes.
Some labels are more specific and say “Blanc de Pinot Noir”, indicating that the wine was made using Pinot Noir grapes.
How black grape varieties produce white Champagne
Grape skins contain pigments that give wine its color.
Contact between the grape juice and the grape skins creates color in wine. So, black grapes produce red wine when the grape skins macerate with the grape juice.
For Champagne made with black grapes, contact between the grape juice and the grape skins is minimized.
Champagne grapes are handled carefully to keep them intact before pressing to avoid any contact between the juice and the skins.
The grapes are then gently pressed to release the juice with minimal contact with the skins. This produces a clear juice to make a white wine.
| Blanc de Noir Language | Blanc de Noir translation | Blanc de Noir Pronunciation |
| French | The literal translation is “white from black”, meaning white wine from black grapes. | BLAW DE NO-AR |
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