Ondenc is a white French wine grape found predominately in the Gaillac region of southwest France. In the 19th century, it was a popular planting in Bordeaux but fell out of favor following the phylloxera epidemic due to poor yields and sensitive to grape disease, though is still one of the seven permitted white varieties permitted in Bordeaux.. Prior to falling out of favor, vine cuttings were brought from Bordeaux to Australian where the grapes became known under the synonyms of Irvine's White in Victoria and Sercial in South Australia. The Australian grapes weren't identified as Ondenc till 1976 when French ampelographer Paul Truel identified the vine while visiting Australia. Today, the grape is nearly extinct in Australia except for a small amount of plantings in Victoria used in sparkling wine production.

History

The grape is believed to have originated in southwestern France and at its peak production it was grown as far north as the Côtes-de-Blaye region and as far south as the foothills of the Pyrenees. In the early 19th century, Ondenc vines were taken to the Cognac region where the grape was known as Blanc Sélection Carrière. From Cognac, cuttings spread to California and Portugal. Ondenc cuttings, known as Blanc Select, were also among the grape varieties that James Busby brought to Australia in 1832. At the turn of the 20th century, plantings of Ondenc declined worldwide and in France it was soon limited to the Gaillac region and the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) regions of Bergerac, Côtes de Duras and Montravel.

Wine

The Ondenc grape can a highly perfumed, full-bodied wine. It is also high in acidity which lend itself well to the production of sparkling wine.

Synonyms

Synonyms of Ondenc include Béquin, Blanc Select, Chalosse, Irvine's White, Ondin, Oundenc, Ondent, Primai, Sensit Blanc and Sercial.

References