For those unfamiliar with the delicious and versatile wine called Vidal Blanc, you are not alone! This article will help explain what you have been missing and why you should waste no time hopping on the Vidal Blanc train.

We’ll cover everything you need to know about Vidal Blanc, including its origins, characteristics and flavors, growing conditions, and winemaking practices. And before you serve up your next bottle of Vidal Blanc, you’ll have some food pairing recommendations and how this grape stacks up against other more well-known white wines.

What is Vidal Blanc, and where did it come from?

Vidal Blanc is best known for its incredibly rich and tingly ice wines. You’ll also find examples of still and sparkling wines made from the Vidal Blanc grapes.

The Vidal Blanc grape is a French hybrid created by Jean-Louis Vidal (for whom the grape was named) during the 1930s. Vidal had intended to create a grape that could be used to produce Cognac in the cool, maritime climate of western France. It was created by crossing the Ugni Blanc and Rayon d’Or grapes.

Unfortunately, the grape never took off in France, and it is not allowed in the production of Cognac under the rigid French winemaking rules. It, however, finds its way across the Atlantic to some of the more frigid parts of North America. Vidal Blanc is widely planted in Canada, Upstate New York, Michigan, and a few places a little further South.

Canada’s Niagara Peninsula and Ontario are famous for Vidal production, where ice winemaking is performed for every vintage. The world’s largest producer of ice wine is Inniskillin, of which Vidal Blanc is a key variety at their estate vineyard in Niagara.

You’ll also find Vidal Blanc thriving in parts of the US, including Southwest Michigan, New York’s Finger Lakes, Missouri, and Ohio.

Characteristics of Vidal Blanc Grapes

Vidal Blanc is often described as having a “bright and pure” fruit character, making it a great candidate for dry table and sweet dessert wines, including ice wine.

The Key Characteristics of Vidal Blanc:

• Appearance: Pale yellow color
• Aroma: Floral (honeysuckle), citrus, and tropical fruit
• Flavors: Grapefruit, pineapple, pear, apricot, citrus
• Acidity: High, contributing to a crisp, lip-smacking mouthfeel
• Style Versatility: Can be made dry, semi-sweet, or sweet (especially as ice wine)
• Tasting Notes: Vidal Blanc is an aromatic grape with strong notes of fresh florals, honey, pear, golden apple, and even Welch’s white grape juice. Vidal Blanc showcases vibrant fruit flavor and racy acidity with just a touch of sweetness when consumed.

Vidal Blanc Wine: Growing and Winemaking

Vidal is resistant to harsh winters and spring frosts. It is slow ripening to ripen sufficiently in long, cool growing seasons. The grapes are good at retaining high acidity, making it ideal for sweet wines.

The skins of the grapes are thick, which means they are resistant to disease when left on the vine for long periods in the production of ice wine.

Cold climates like New York’s Finger Lakes or Southwest Michigan are ideal regions for Vidal Blanc production because the variety must work hard for its ripeness. These areas can be cold and damp, making the grapes prone to frost and mildew. But these are conditions in which Vidal Blanc was created to survive.

Typically, Vidal Blanc is made into a sweet ice wine, which can be profoundly fruity yet well-balanced by the acidity.

It is often full-bodied and made to resemble Chardonnay due to the fruit flavors, buttery characteristics, and oak notes when made into a dry, still wine (as in slightly warmer parts of the US, like Missouri).

Top Food Pairings with Vidal Blanc

The best food pairings for Vidal Blanc will depend significantly on which type of wine was made from the grapes.

Still Vidal Blanc made in a drier style will pair well with:

• Seafood: the fruitiness of Vidal Blanc pairs well with seafood, especially dishes with lemon, garlic, and butter.
• Salads: Vidal Blanc pairs well with salads, especially those with citrus.
• Pork and roasted vegetables: dry Vidal Blanc wine pairs well with pork and roasted vegetables, where the acidity can cut through some rich, savory flavors.

Sparkling Vidal Blanc will pair well with:

• Spicy dishes: dry sparkling Vidal Blanc wines can cut the heat of spicier dishes.
• Smoked salmon pairs best with a wine with acidity and a touch of sweetness like Vidal Blanc.

Ice Wine from Vidal Blanc will be sweet and aromatic, pairing well with:

• Creamy desserts: Ice wine pairs well with cheesecake and ice cream.
• Caramelized fruits: the sweetness of the caramelization and the fruity flavors match the ice wine beautifully.
• Strong, savory cheeses: Roquefort and Gorgonzola pair well with Vidal Blanc’s sweetness and acidity to cut through the creamy saltiness of the cheeses.

Vidal Blanc vs. Other White Wines

As an ice wine, Vidal Blanc is similar to the well-known Rhine-style dessert wines that Germany is so well known for. They often exhibit honey, citrus and hazelnut flavors with a slightly sweet, rich and luxurious finish.

In Missouri, dry styles of Vidal blanc are often full-bodied with a buttery mouthfeel that can be similar to Chardonnays that have gone through malolactic fermentation and aged in oak.

When aged in stainless steel, a dry Vidal Blanc will remind folks of Sauvignon Blanc, with its crisper acidity and plenty of citrus fruit notes.

Vidal Blanc stands out in the world of white wines for several reasons. It is such a hardy and versatile variety. With its tolerance for cold climates, it can be grown in harsh conditions – a significant advantage as climate change continues to impact traditional grape-growing regions. The grapes can be made into sparkling, still or dessert wines, leaving a lot of leeway to the winemaker to create the best version of wine they can from the grapes harvested.

The ice wines produced from Vidal Blanc are made in tiny quantities and sold in smaller bottles, which is pricey. The grapes must be left on the vine well into November and December until they look like shriveled raisins. The super-concentrated flavors in each grape have very little liquid. A winemaker will need about 4 times more grapes to make a bottle of ice wine.

To summarize, Vidal Blanc is a unique and versatile grape that can be made into several styles of white wine. Its floral and fruity flavors are balanced nicely by crisp acidity, making it a great wine to pair with a wide range of foods. If you haven’t experienced Vidal Blanc yet, it’s time to discover what makes this wine so unique. Pick up a bottle to share tonight!