White grape of interest for adaptation

Souvignier Gris

soo-vee-NYAY GREE
How to read this

Capitals mark the stressed syllable. “ny” is the ny in “canyon”. The French r comes from the back of the throat. The recording is the reference.

Souvignier Gris is a disease-resistant pink-berried grape bred in Freiburg in 1983; DNA markers show a cross of Seyval Blanc and Zähringer. Bordeaux has admitted it in white wines since 2023.

Souvignier Gris is a grape with pink berries, bred for resistance to disease. VIVC records that Norbert Becker crossed it in 1983 at the State Viticulture Institute of Freiburg, in Germany, under the number FR 392-83, with protection granted in 2012. The breeder recorded Cabernet Sauvignon and Bronner as its parents; DNA markers later showed a cross of Seyval Blanc and Zähringer, in work by Röckel, Maul, and Töpfer at the Julius Kühn-Institut, 2014 to 2016, which VIVC cites as in preparation. Its name echoes Sauvignon, yet on that pedigree it has no Cabernet Sauvignon parent.

On February 7, 2023 the INAO national committee adopted a revision of the AOC Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur rules adding Souvignier Gris, Floréal, and Sauvignac to the white varieties of interest for adaptation, and the arrêté of August 16, 2023, published in the Journal officiel on August 25, put it into force. By the 2023 Bordeaux texts, it may go into white Bordeaux, dry or sweeter, Bordeaux rosé, and white Bordeaux Supérieur, though not into Bordeaux Haut-Benauge. A grower needs a convention signed with INAO and the appellation’s growers’ body, and together the varieties of interest for adaptation may take up to 5% of the estate’s vines for each color and up to 10% of each lot for sale; in Bordeaux Supérieur both limits are strict, below 5% and below 10%.

The new white Médoc, homologated by the arrêté of July 31, 2025, published on August 5, names it with Alvarinho, Floréal, Liliorila, and Sauvignac, and a Pessac-Léognan revision adopted on February 12, 2026, not yet in force, would admit it there. A 2023 presentation by the Chambre d’agriculture de la Gironde counted about 37 hectares in the department, the largest white figure on that slide. In 2025 A. L. de Sousa Dias and colleagues found its aroma and phenolic profile close to Sauvignon Blanc’s, with traits of its own.

Crossed in 1983: Norbert Becker, State Viticulture Institute of Freiburg (VIVC)

The family

Seyval Blanc shown by DNA markers

Zähringer shown by DNA markers

Souvignier Gris

Cross: Becker, Norbert, Staatliches Weinbauinstitut Freiburg, Abteilung Weinbau, 1983.

  • Röckel, Maul & Töpfer, BÖLN project (in preparation), cited by VIVC 22629

The discovery: From 2014 to 2016, DNA markers gave Seyval Blanc and Zähringer as parents, where the breeder had recorded Cabernet Sauvignon and Bronner.

The names

Other names in VIVC: Fr 392-83, Freiburg 392-83.

In today’s rules

Admitted for adaptation (white) in 3 of the appellations and designations on this site; admitted for adaptation (rosé) in 1.

Admitted for adaptation · white
Bordeaux (with the other adaptation varieties: up to 5% of the estate’s vines for that color and up to 10% of each lot for sale), Bordeaux Supérieur (with the other adaptation varieties: below 5% of the estate’s white vines and below 10% of each lot for sale), Médoc (with the other adaptation varieties: up to 5% of the estate’s vines for that color and up to 10% of each lot for sale)
Admitted for adaptation · rosé
Bordeaux (with the other adaptation varieties: up to 5% of the estate’s vines for that color and up to 10% of each lot for sale)

Area planted

  • 37 ha planted area, Gironde (department 33), data year not stated (2023 presentation)
    Chambre d'agriculture de la Gironde, PNDV Tour 2023, 'Évolution et pilotage de l'encépagement' (Charlier, Vecchiato), slide 28 'Variétés à l'étude (ODG Bordeaux, Bx Supérieur)', header 'Surfaces plantées (33)', https://gironde.chambre-agriculture.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/Nouvelle-Aquitaine/100_Inst-Gironde/Documents/pdf_home_page_actualites/2023/PNDV_TOUR_2023_Evolution_et_pilotage_de_l_encepagement_CHARLIER_VECCHIATO.pdf, accessed 2026-10-12

Timeline

  1. 2018Described as a disease-resistant white variety from the Viticultural Institute of Freiburg (Germany).
    Shikimic acid ... fungus-resistant grapes growing in the Alps, 2018
  2. 2021Planted area recorded in the Gironde in 2021: about 16.3 ha.
    Syndicat des Bordeaux et Bordeaux Supérieur (ODG), 'FAQ Nouveaux cépages' (undated), planted areas recorded in the Gironde in 2021, https://pro.planete-bordeaux.fr/wp-content/uploads/FAQ-Nouveaux-Cepages.pdf, accessed 2026-10-13
  3. 2023Added to the Bordeaux Supérieur white list by the INAO committee (February 7, 2023); about 37 ha planted in the Gironde, as reported in November 2023.
    INAO, 'Modification du cahier des charges de l'AOP Bordeaux supérieur adoptée par le Comité national ... en séance du 7 février 2023' (national opposition procedure draft), https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCBordeauxSuperieur-PNO2023.pdf, accessed 2026-10-12; Chambre d'agriculture de la Gironde, PNDV Tour 2023, 'Évolution et pilotage de l'encépagement' (Charlier, Vecchiato), slide 28 'Variétés à l'étude (ODG Bordeaux, Bx Supérieur)', header 'Surfaces plantées (33)', https://gironde.chambre-agriculture.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/Nouvelle-Aquitaine/100_Inst-Gironde/Documents/pdf_home_page_actualites/2023/PNDV_TOUR_2023_Evolution_et_pilotage_de_l_encepagement_CHARLIER_VECCHIATO.pdf, accessed 2026-10-12
  4. 2026The rules homologated on May 13, 2026 (Bordeaux) and June 4, 2026 (Bordeaux Supérieur) list Souvignier Gris for white, dry or sweet, within the collective limits of each appellation (in Bordeaux up to 5% of the vines for the color and 10% of each lot for sale; in Bordeaux Supérieur each lot below 10%, and white vines below 5%); Bordeaux lists it for rosé too.
    Arrêté of May 13, 2026 homologating the cahier des charges of AOC 'Bordeaux' (BO Agri, May 21, 2026), sections V.1, V.2 and IX.1.b, https://fgvb.fr/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CDC-Bordeaux-homologue-arrete-13-mai-2026-boma-21-mai-2026.pdf, accessed 2026-10-12; Arrêté of June 4, 2026 homologating the cahier des charges of AOC 'Bordeaux supérieur' (BO Agri, June 11, 2026), sections V.1, V.2 and IX.1.b, https://fgvb.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/CDC-Bordeaux-superieur-homologue-arrete-4-juin-2026-boma-11-juin-2026.pdf, accessed 2026-10-12

In the lab

More than 32 studies and theses in the Bordeaux Reviews library mention this grape.

Sources

  • Röckel et al. (2026): Vitis International Variety Catalogue, www.vivc.de, passport id 22629, accessed October 2026
  • Röckel et al. (2026): Vitis International Variety Catalogue, www.vivc.de, passport id 22629, 'Bibliography to pedigree confirmed by markers' (Röckel, F.; Maul, E.; Töpfer, R., BÖLN project 2014-2016, listed as in preparation), accessed October 2026
  • A. L. de Sousa Dias, Charlie Guittin-Leignadier, A. Roy et al., 'Oenological Performances of New White Grape Varieties', Beverages 11 (3):90, 2025, doi 10.3390/beverages11030090
  • INAO, modification of the cahier des charges AOC 'Bordeaux' adopted by the Comité national on February 7, 2023 (national opposition procedure), https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCBordeaux-PNO2023.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • INAO, modification of the cahier des charges AOC 'Bordeaux supérieur' adopted by the Comité national on February 7, 2023 (national opposition procedure), https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCBordeauxSuperieur-PNO2023.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • Cahier des charges AOC 'Bordeaux', header 'Publié au BO-AGRI le 31 août 2023. Homologué par arrêté du 16 août 2023 publié au JORF du 25 août 2023', sections V.1, V.2 and IX.1, copy at https://winewitandwisdomswe.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Bordeaux-AOC-Cahier-des-Charges-August-2023.pdf (BO-Agri and Légifrance could not be read), accessed October 2026
  • Cahier des charges AOC 'Bordeaux supérieur', header 'Publié au BO-AGRI du 31 août 2023. Homologué par arrêté du 16 août 2023 publié au JORF du 25 août 2023', section V.1, copy at https://winewitandwisdomswe.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Bordeaux-Superieur-AOC-Cahier-des-Charges-August-2023.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • INAO, cahier des charges AOC 'Bordeaux supérieur' as modified by the Comité national on June 12, 2025, sections V.1, V.2 and IX.1, https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/3-CDC-Bordeaux-sup%C3%A9rieur-06-2025.pdf; homologated by arrêté of November 26, 2025, JORF November 29, 2025, as stated in Bordeaux Supérieur ODG, 'Comparaison CDC BxSup 2023-2025', https://pro.planete-bordeaux.fr/wp-content/uploads/Comparaison-CDC-BxSup-2023-2025.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • INAO, modification of the cahier des charges AOC 'Bordeaux' adopted by the Comité national on June 12, 2025, sections V.1, V.2 and IX.1, https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/2-CDC-Bordeaux-06-2025.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • INAO, directive INAO-DIR-CNAOV-2018-01 rev2 on varieties of interest for adaptation, dated June 3, 2021 (Comité national, sessions of June 2 and 3, 2021): 5% of the holding's plantings, 10% of the final blend for the color, 10 years extendable by up to 10, https://inao.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2024-09/DIR-VIFA-062021-Rev2-1.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • INAO, 'Le Médoc s'ouvre aux vins blancs': 'L'arrêté du 31 juillet 2025 homologuant le cahier des charges est paru au Journal Officiel le 5 août 2025', https://www.inao.gouv.fr/actualites-medoc-vins-blanc-aout-2025, accessed October 2026
  • INAO, modification of the cahier des charges AOP 'Médoc' (white wines) adopted by the Comité national on February 6, 2025, sections V.1.a, V.2.a and IX.1.a, https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/2-PNO-CDC-Medoc.pdf; European Commission, communication of an approved standard amendment, PDO-FR-A0730-AM06, C/2026/1140, Official Journal C of March 2, 2026, single document section 8, copy at https://winewitandwisdomswe.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Cashier-des-Charges-Medoc-AOC-March-2926.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • INAO, draft modification of the cahier des charges AOP 'Pessac-Léognan' adopted by the Comité national on February 12, 2026 (national opposition procedure, not homologated), section V, https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/2-PRJ-CDC-Pessac-Leognan-2026.pdf, accessed October 2026
  • Chambre d'agriculture de la Gironde, PNDV Tour 2023, 'Évolution et pilotage de l'encépagement' (Charlier, Vecchiato), slide 28 'Variétés à l'étude (ODG Bordeaux, Bx Supérieur)', header 'Surfaces plantées (33)', https://gironde.chambre-agriculture.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/Nouvelle-Aquitaine/100_Inst-Gironde/Documents/pdf_home_page_actualites/2023/PNDV_TOUR_2023_Evolution_et_pilotage_de_l_encepagement_CHARLIER_VECCHIATO.pdf, accessed October 2026 (no data year stated)
  • Bordeaux: Here Come the Hybrids!, winewitandwisdomswe.com, September 1, 2023, https://winewitandwisdomswe.com/2023/09/01/bordeaux-here-come-the-hybrids/ (Haut-Benauge exception), accessed October 2026
  • T. Román et al., 'Shikimic acid concentration in white wines produced with different processing protocols from fungus-resistant grapes growing in the Alps', Vitis 57:41-46, 2018 (the oldest text in my library that names Souvignier Gris)
  • Röckel et al. (2026): Vitis International Variety Catalogue, www.vivc.de, accessed October 2026

Every grape

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