Baco noir is a hybrid red wine grape variety produced from a cross of Vitis vinifera var.
Folle Blanche, a French wine grape, and an unknown variety of Vitis riparia indigenous to North America. Baco noir produces a medium body, deeply tinted, acidic red wine which is fruit forward and often carries aromas of black fruits and caramel. Ageing potential is 5–8 years for good examples of this wine.
The grape tends to be vigorous and is fairly resistant to the common ills of grapes in the eastern U.S., including black rot, powdery mildew, and downy mildew. It grows well on 6–8-foot (1.8–2.4 m) cordons, with vertical shoot positioning. The vines can carry up to 3 clusters per shoot without overcropping. The vine tolerates highly acid soil (pH 4.9) and is not susceptible to phylloxera. The vine is not particularly attractive to Japanese beetles. In droughty years, the vine is balanced. In wet years, there is no coulure; however, the vines produce more vine than needed and may need to be hedged many times. The vine is not recommended for planting in good soil.
At one time Baco noir was grown in France, but by European Union regulation, the commercial use of hybrid grape varieties is restricted. In 1951 the variety was brought to the cooler viticulture regions of North America, such as Ontario, New York, Michigan, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Oregon. Particularly suited to the Canadian wine industry, baco noir is the darling of vintners and wine drinkers alike; it is the little smoky wine that could. In 1955 the variety was brought back to Canada, where the "George" clonal variety is commonly used. Within Canada, Baco Noir is far more commonly grown in Ontario than in British Columbia.
This little hybrid grape comes from the French
Folle Blanche cognac grape and the Vitis Riperia grape native to North America, specifically southern Ontario. This blend proved hardy enough to survive the considerable challenges of growing grape vines in Canada. These vines are especially suited to growing in the Great Lakes regions of North America that are noted for having difficult heavy soil conditions and long cold winters; the bane of more delicate pinot noir grapes. Southern Ontario and Eastern Ontario are providing some of the best baco noirs available.
Oregon's first Baco Noir vines were imported by Philippe Girardet in 1971 for his winery located in the Umpqua Valley. The warmer climate of the Umpqua Valley gives the Baco grape a fuller body and richer flavor than is typically found in the cooler climates of New York or Canada. The popularity of Baco Noir within the state has been notably increasing in the Umpqua Valley and beginning to branch out to the Willamette Valley and Rogue Valley in more recent years. Today, the most recognized Oregon Baco still belongs to the Girardet Winery who produces both a regular bottling and a "Baco Noir Reserve" made from the original Baco vines first planted in 1971.
Baco noir was the target of a vine-pull program in Canada in the early 1980s, which means that there are few older plots of this varietal left in Canada. Despite this, Baco Noir (single varietal or in blends) remains a commonly produced wine in many Canadian wineries; notable current examples include Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery's, Lakeview Cellars' "Baco Noir Reserve" and products of Sandbanks Estate Winery in Prince Edward County. Baco Noir wine from Ontario typically has aromas of sour plums and peppercorns and a tart, refreshing flavour. Baco Noir is naturally low in tannin and tends to benefit from some oak aging.
Refernces
Tony Aspler: “Baco Noir and Maréchal Foch: The True Canadian Grapes?”
