Ask a Wine Pro: What Is a ‘PiWi’ Grape?

Each year, winemakers continue to struggle with new challenges presented by the ever-changing climate. As regions deal with frost, heat waves, hail storms, and fungus with increasing frequency, many producers are looking for ways to prevent vineyard damage without the use of harsh chemicals or heavy irrigation. For some, that means working with different grape varieties. For example, in 2021 Bordeaux approved six new grape varieties that could be included in the region’s famous blends, adding grapes like Touriga Nacional and Alvarinho to the more traditional Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc.

But beyond the typical Vitis vinifera varieties, there’s a category of grape that’s been getting renewed attention under these conditions: PiWis. PiWis are known to be particularly hardy grapes that can withstand extreme weather conditions, making them appealing to organic viticulturists. But what exactly is a PiWi grape? And what does it taste like? VinePair chatted with Julianny Gómez, the co-founder of preshift! and beverage manager at New York City’s Forsythia, for some answers.

PiWi is a much-needed abbreviation for the German term Pilzwiderstandsfähige Rebsorten, which translates to fungus-resistant grape variety. “In essence, these are hybrid grapes that are a cross between European Vitis vinifera with other Vitis species, usually American or Asian in origin,” Gómez says. “The goal is to breed grapes that are resistant to fungal diseases without compromising depth of flavor.” By crossing the more well-known Vitis vinifera grapes with varieties that have a natural resistance to fungus like Vitis labrusca, Vitis amurensis, Vitis rotundifolia, or Vitis rupestris, producers can avoid using fungicides, but the wines maintain some of the more traditional flavor profiles.

Gómez explains that climate change is making it harder for producers to work solely with monogenic strains. “Places with traditional cooler, continental climates are experiencing increasingly hotter and more humid summers, which are leaving their vines susceptible to diseases such as powdery and downy mildew and black rot,” Gómez says. Additionally, farmers and winemakers are grappling with the effects of using fungicides on their vines, with long-term spraying making fungi resistant over time and creating health risks for farmers and producers. PiWi grapes are an elegant and essential solution: They allow producers to adapt to their current environment and eliminate the need for unnecessary spraying.”

One example that’s gaining traction in Europe is Souvignier Gris, a cross of Seyval Blanc and Zähringer that’s known for its resistance to powdery mildew. The grape was originally developed at the viticultural research institute in Freiburg, Germany, by Dr. Norbert Becker in 1983, but can now be found in wine regions across Germany, Austria, northern Italy, and France. Other PiWi grape varieties to watch out for include Muscaris, Solaris, and Cabernet Blanc, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and several mildew-resistant varieties.

While hybrid grapes are widely used in areas such as America’s East Coast, including regions like the Finger Lakes and Virginia, some European countries are more hesitant to embrace PiWi grapes due to their longstanding traditions and strict winemaking laws. But as climate change continues to put environmental pressures on winemakers, we’ll likely see more producers embrace disease- resistant grapes.

“Ultimately, it’s not a debate of Vitis vinifera versus PiWi, it’s a question of what is most sustainable for the environment and will allow for viticulture in the centuries to come,” Gómez says. “PiWi varieties are the future of wine and I encourage folks to explore producers who are at the forefront of this movement.”

The article Ask a Wine Pro: What Is a ‘PiWi’ Grape? appeared first on VinePair.