n.
[F., from the village of Chasselas.]
A white grape, esteemed for the table.
Chasselas
| Dictionary: Chas·se·las |
n.
| 5min Related Video: Chasselas |
| Wine Lover's Companion: Chasselas |
[shas-suh-LAH] A very ancient white-wine grape that is grown in Switzerland and in small sections of France, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand. Chasselas-one of the oldest cultivated varieties-is thought to have originated in the Middle East. Even though this grape's still one of Switzerland's leading varieties, Chasselas' acreage in general has dwindled over the years. Chasselas wines are low in acidity and alcohol and generally lacking in character. There are numerous subvarieties of this grape, one being the Chasselas Dore, which is cultivated on a very limited basis in California. As with many older grape varieties, Chasselas is known by a variety of names including Dorin, Fendant, Gutedel, Marzemina Bianca, Perlan, and Weisser Gutedel.
| Wikipedia: Chasselas |
For the town in France, see Chasselas, Saône-et-Loire.
For the Italian wine grape known as Chasselas Noir, see Dolcetto.
| Chasselas | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chasselas grapes growing in Baden under its local name Gutedel | |
| Species: | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called: | Fendant, Gutedel |
| Notable regions: | Switzerland, Baden (Germany), Loire (France) |
Chasselas is a wine grape variety grown in Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal and New Zealand.
Theories of its origin vary. Some believe it originally comes from Egypt with a 5,000 year history of cultivation. Others, notably Pierre Galet believe it is a native Swiss variety.[1]
Widely grown in the cantons of Switzerland where it has several regional synonym names, the main one being Fendant in the Valais canton. It is considered an ideal pairing for Raclette or Fondue. Chasselas is also known as Perlan in the Mandement district.
In Germany with 1,123 hectares (2,770 acres), it is almost exclusively grown in the wine region of Baden under the name Gutedel.[2]
Chasselas is mostly vinified to be a full, dry and fruity white wine. It is also suitable as a table grape, grown widely for this purpose in Turkey. In France it is mostly grown in the Loire region where it is converted into a blend with Sauvignon Blanc called "Pouilly-sur-Loire" and in the Savoie region where it is treated in the Swiss manner. In New Zealand it is mainly made into popular sweet white wines. California and Australian growers know this variety under the alias names of Chasselas Dore or Golden Chasselas.
References
- ^ Oz Clarke, Grapes and Wines Websters International Publishers, New York (2001) p. 59
- ^ German Wine Institute: German Wine Statistics 2007-2008
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Learn More
 | Neuchâtel (wine-related term) |
| Pouilly-Sur-Loire AC (wine-related term) |
| Crepy AC (wine-related term) |
 | How do you pronounce Chateau de Chasselas? Read answer... |
Help us answer these
 | How long does it take to get package sent priority mail from belle chassela la? |
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
 |
 | Dictionary. Webster 1913 Dictionary edited by Patrick J. Cassidy Read more |
 |
| Wine Lover's Companion. Wine Lover's Companion. Copyright © 2003 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chasselas". Read more |
ADVERTISEMENT
Mentioned in
- Neuchâtel (wine-related term)
- Pouilly-Sur-Loire AC (wine-related term)
- Crepy AC (wine-related term)
- Lavaux (wine-related term)
- Yvorne (wine-related term)
- Chablais (wine-related term)
- La Côte (wine-related term)
- Dézaley (wine-related term)
- Markgräflerland, Bereich (wine-related term)
- muscadine
- Huxelrebe (wine-related term)
- Puget Sound AVA (wine-related term)
- Maconnais (wine-related term)
- Palomino (wine-related term)
