Billets In 1565, according to the legendary story, Baron Lazare de Schwendi takes in Tokaj (north East from Hungary, where he was fighting the Turcs) some vines. He ordered the multiplication of those plants on his own lands in Kientzheim.
In reality, the vine plants PINOT GRIS are coming) from Bourgogne, where it’s called Pinot Beurot.
Till beginning 1980, the Alsace wines issued from Pinot Gris were sold under the denomination “Tokay d’Alsace”.
In 1984, following a hungary complaint at the European Commission, Alsace is obliged to recall their grape variety : “PINOT GRIS” but have a transitory period where they can use the mention “Tokay Pinot Gris”
April 1st 2007 : end of the transitory period. All these wines leaving the estate must carry on the label the variety mention “PINOT GRIS”.
Tags: Alsace, Pinot Gris, Tokay