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The Folle Blanche is a variety of white grape indigenous to Pla de Bages, where it’s called Picapoll or Picapolla. It’s a scant variety that is found especially in Catalonia and Occitania. Nowadays, its growing doesn’t arrive to 20 hectares, and the 96% of it it’s cultivated in the DO Pla de Bages. In France it’s also called Picpoul and it’s used to produce the distilled wines from the regions of Cognac and Armagnac.
The bunch of Folle Blanche is small and compact. Its grape is small and oval, and it has a thin and soft skin, which has spots and is gold coloured when it’s ripe. Its ripening is late. The aromas of fruit and flowers –pineapple, grapefruit, apricot, quince and jasmine– are typical from this variety.
The wine done with Folle Blanche is light, with moderate alcohol content and acidity. It has a strong fruity aroma and a shining yellow colour, and it’s a sparkling wine. The Folle Blanche was traditionally used to produce vermouths and it was consumed as fresh fruit or as raisins.
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