{{Short description|Variety of grape}} {{For|another French wine grape that is known as Piquepoul|Folle blanche}} {{For|a French wine grape that shares the synonym Piquepoul de Pays|Baco blanc}} {{Infobox grape variety | name = Piquepoul blanc | color = Blanc | image = Picpoul.jpg | caption = Piquepoul in Viala & Vermorel | species = ''Vitis vinifera'' | also_called = Picpoul, Picpoul blanc, Picpoul de Pinet | origin = France | hazards = Fungal diseases | regions = Languedoc | notable_wines = Picpoul de Pinet }} {{Infobox grape variety | name = Piquepoul Gris | color = Gris | image = <!-- Image of grape bunch --> | caption = <!-- Caption of image --> | species = ''Vitis vinifera'' | also_called = Piquepoul rose, Picpoul, Picpoul gris | origin = | hazards = <!-- Viticultural hazards --> | regions = | notable_wines = }} {{Infobox grape variety | name = Piquepoul noir | color = Noir | image = Piquepoul N grappe.jpg | caption = Piquepoul Noir grapes | species = ''Vitis vinifera'' | also_called = Picpoul, Picpoul noir | origin = | hazards = <!-- Viticultural hazards --> | regions = | notable_wines = }} thumb|Leaves of Piquepoul vines '''Piquepoul''' ({{IPA|fr|pikpul|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-WikiLucas00-piquepoul.wav}}), '''Picpoul''', or '''Picapoll''' is a variety of wine grape grown primarily in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc regions of France as well as Catalonia, Spain.<ref>{{citation|title=You say 'lipstinger', I say no|publisher=Hudin.com|url=https://www.hudin.com/you-say-lipstinger-i-say-no/}}</ref> It exists both in dark-skinned ('''Piquepoul noir''') and light-skinned ('''Piquepoul blanc''') versions, as well as a very little grown '''Piquepoul gris'''. Piquepoul blanc is the most common of the Piquepouls, with {{convert|1000|ha}} cultivated in France in 2000, and an increasing trend.<ref name="OCW Picpoul">{{cite encyclopedia |editor=Jancis Robinson |editor-link=Jancis Robinson |encyclopedia=Oxford Companion to Wine |edition=Third |title=Picpoul |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-860990-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/524 524–525] |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/524 }}</ref>
Piquepoul tends to bud late and has some sensitivity to powdery mildew.
== History == Piquepoul has a long history in the Languedoc region, and along with Cinsault and Clairette blanche is one of the oldest domestic grape varieties of that region. It was blended with Clairette blanche to produce the wine Picardan in the 17th & 18th centuries.<ref name="OCW Picpoul"/>
After the Great French Wine Blight, when large shifts in varieties planted took place, Piquepoul lost popularity due to its susceptibility to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and its low yield.
== Piquepoul wines == In Languedoc, Piquepoul blanc which is low in alcohol and high in acidity is used both for blending and for varietal wines. Its fresh, citrus notes are described as dry, tart, and 'lip-stinging' making it suited for accompanying seafood.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Abramson |first1=Olivia |title=All you need to know about Picpoul |url=https://www.thegrapegrind.com/grapes/picpoul-wine-guide/ |website=The Grape Grind |access-date=17 December 2025}}</ref> Red wines produced from Picpoul noir are high in alcohol, are richly scented, but have a very pale colour, which has made the variety more popular as a blending ingredient than as a producer of varietal wines.<ref name="OCW Picpoul"/>
Both the blanc and noir versions of Piquepoul are permitted blending grapes for the production of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. However, in 2004 only 0.15% of the appellation's surface was planted with the Piquepoul varieties.<ref>[http://www.chateauneuf.dk/en/production/grapes.htm www.chateauneuf.dk: Grapes], accessed on June 18, 2008</ref>
In the New World, Piquepoul is being successfully grown in the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains (5000 feet above sea level) in the Willcox AVA of southern Arizona. It is also grown in the Red Mountain AVA of eastern Washington State.
Piquepoul blanc is being grown in Sonoma, California.<ref name="Stierch">{{cite web|last1=Stierch|first1=Sarah|title=Wine time: Anaba Wines '15 Picpoul Blanc|url=http://sonomasun.com/2016/07/08/wine-time-anaba-wines-15-picpoul-blanc/|website=Sonoma Valley Sun|date=8 July 2016 |accessdate=8 July 2016}}</ref>
Piquepoul blanc is also grown successfully in the Texas Hill Country AVA and Texas High Plains AVAs.
In Australia, Piquepoul blanc was first planted in 2013,<ref>[http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/462923/130404-KH-First-Oyster-Wine-vine-planted.pdf MEDIA RELEASE: FIRST ‘OYSTER WINE’ VINES PLANTED IN AUSTRALIA], accessed on October 7, 2017</ref> and the first commercial release of wine was in 2017. Cuttings of the variety were imported for the wine's suitability for drinking with oysters.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-29/oysters-and-wine-a-magnifique-combination/8997006 Oysters and wine a 'magnifique' combination for Australian grower taking a cue from the French], accessed on October 7, 2017</ref>
=== Picpoul de Pinet === Picpoul de Pinet<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.picpoul-de-pinet.com/,%20http://www.picpoul-de-pinet.com/|title=AOC Picpoul de Pinet - Son terroir c'est la mer|first=AOC Picpoul de|last=Pinet|website=www.picpoul-de-pinet.com|accessdate=23 May 2019}}</ref> is an AOC within the Languedoc AOC for white wines made exclusively from Piquepoul blanc in the communes of Pinet, Mèze, Florensac, Castelnau-de-Guers, Montagnac and Pomérols.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inao.gouv.fr/show_texte/991|title=Décret du 24 décembre 1985 modifié définissant les conditions de production des vins à appellation d'origine contrôlée « Languedoc » (à titre dérogatoire « Coteaux du Languedoc » peut être utilisé jusqu'au 3 mai 2012)|website=www.inao.gouv.fr|accessdate=23 May 2019}}</ref>
The wines are green-gold in color, full-bodied, and show lemon flavours. They have a soft, delicate nose, with pleasant hints of acacia and hawthorn blossom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.picpoul-de-pinet.com/en/the-wine,%20http://www.picpoul-de-pinet.com/en/the-wine|title=AOC Picpoul de Pinet - The wine|first=AOC Picpoul de|last=Pinet|website=www.picpoul-de-pinet.com|accessdate=23 May 2019}}</ref> Modernization of the winemaking has led to increased interest in these wines.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor=Jancis Robinson |editor-link=Jancis Robinson |encyclopedia=Oxford Companion to Wine |edition=Third |title=Picpoul de Pinet |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-860990-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/525 525] |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/525 }}</ref>
== Synonyms == Synonyms for Piquepoul blanc include Avello, Avillo, Extra, Feher Piquepoul, Languedocien, Picapoll, Picapolla, Picapulla, Picpoul, Picpoul de Pinet.<ref>[http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=9295 Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Piquepoul blanc] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430065630/http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=9295 |date=2012-04-30 }}, accessed on June 18, 2008</ref>
Synonyms for Piquepoul gris include Avillo, Languedocien, Picapulla, Picpoul, Pikepul Seryi, Piquepoul rose, Szürke Piquepoul.<ref>[http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=9297 Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Piquepoul gris] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430065659/http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=9297 |date=2012-04-30 }}, accessed on June 18, 2008</ref>
Synonyms for Piquepoul noir include Avillo, Kek Piquepoul, Languedocien, Pical, Pical negro, Pical Polho, Picalpolho, Picapoll, Picapoll Negro, Picapouia, Picapouya, Picapulla, Picpouille, Picpoul, Picpoule, Picquepoul, Pikepul Chernyi, Pique Poule, Piquerette noire.<ref>[http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=9298 Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Piquepoul noir] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430065721/http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=9298 |date=2012-04-30 }}, accessed on June 18, 2008</ref>
Picpoul is also a synonym for the variety Folle blanche, which has no known relationship to Piquepoul.
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:White wine grape varieties Category:Red wine grape varieties Category:Languedoc-Roussillon wine AOCs Category:Grape varieties of France