Counoise

Counoise
Grape (Vitis)
Counoise grapes
Color of berry skin	Noir
Species	Vitis vinifera
Origin	France
Notable regions	Rhône valley
Notable wines	Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Counoise is a dark-skinned wine grape grown primarily in the Rhône valley region of France. Counoise adds a peppery note and good acidity to a blended red wine, but does not have much depth of colour or tannin.^[1] There were 638 hectares (1,580 acres) of Counoise in France in 2000.^[2]

Counoise is one of the grapes allowed into the blend of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. In 2004 only 0.5% of the appellation's surface was planted with Counoise.^[3] Some producer which favour the variety use about 5% of it in their blends, and account for most of the plantations. One such producer is Château de Beaucastel, which is noted for using all the 13 allowed varieties.^[2]

Counoise and Aubun

Counoise is easily confused with Aubun, because of a large similarity in the vineyards. Counoise and Aubun were also grown mixed in a field blend in some older vineyards.^[2] However, Counoise is considered to be a grape of higher quality, while Aubun has a reputation for giving simpler wines.^[1]

Synonyms

Synonyms for Counoise include Aubon, Caula, Conese, Connoges, Connoise, Couneso, Counoise noir, Counoiso, Counoueiso, Damas noir, Grosse Rogettaz, Guenoise, Moustardier, Quennoise.^[4]

Counoise is also listed as a syononym for Aubun, most likely due to confusion between the two in the vineyard.^[5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Oz Clarke Encyclopedia of Grapes Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0-15-100714-4
2. ^ ^{a b c} Jancis Robinson, ed (2006). "Counoise". Oxford Companion to Wine (Third Edition ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 208. ISBN 0-19-860990-6. 
3. ^ www.chateauneuf.dk: Grapes, accessed on June 18, 2008
4. ^ Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Counoise, accessed on June 18, 2008
5. ^ Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Aubun, accessed on June 18, 2008