Pinto Blanc is a white mutation of Pinot Gris, itself a descendant of Pinot Noir. Although first discovered in Burgundy where it can still be included (in small quantities) in Bourgogne blanc and passetoutgrains, it is mainly associated with the Alsace region. Mainly grown in Alsace, where it is frequently blended with Auxerrois, it sits behind Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris in terms of area under vines . Due to the regions somewhat inconsistent appellation laws, some bottles labelled Pinot Blanc may not contain any Pinot Blanc at all. Rather, they could be a blend of Auxerrois and Pinot Noir. The grape is more widely planted across Austria and northern Italy where it goes by the names Weissburgunder and Pinot Bianco. When the right conditions prevail it is used to produce lusciously rich, botrytized TBAs, some of Austria's most concentrated and complex wines. Despite being largely ignored in the New World a small handful of high-end California and Oregon producers are coaxing some expressive and interesting wines with lower yields and higher must weights.
The "Red Wine Quarter" receives almost 2,000 hours of sunshine per year. Add to that, the warm winds from the Pannonian Plain and you can understand the regions reputation as a red-wine producer. Its most prominent red grape varities are Zwiegelt, Blaufränkisch, St.Laurent and Pinot Noir. The Lake Neusiedl region in the northen area of the region is known for fine Prädikat-level dessert wines produced from Welschriesling, Chardonnay and Scheurebe.
Dessert wines are usually any sweet wine drunk with or around a meal. White fortified wines (fino and amontillado sherry) are usually drunk before the meal, and the red fortified wines (port and madeira) drunk after it. Most fortified wines are regarded as distinct from dessert wines, but some of the less strong fortified white wines, are regarded as honorary dessert wines. In the United States a dessert wine is legally defined as any wine over 14% alcohol by volume, which includes all fortified wines.
