Courbu

The white grape Courbu is cultivated in the wine region of Sud -Ouest in southwestern France. The very old variety was already threatened with extinction and was revived though Courbu was until the early 1960s still used frequently.

This variety provides powerful, simple structured white wines with a delicate bouquet. Since the variety is profitable, it may be missing the wine of character. Courbu is also used in small proportions as a blending partner with the white varieties Arrufiac, Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng. The grape variety is found in white wines of the appellation Béarn, Côtes de Saint -Mont, Irouleguy, Jurançon and Pacherenc du Vic - Bilh.

In 2000, a Rebgarten with 58 different clones of Courbu Vine was created in the municipality of Saint -Etienne- de Baïgorry for conservation breeding.

The clones 726, 727 and 812 are permitted for viticulture. Clone 812 is mostly the ertragsschwächste with the highest sugar output. A study published in 2007 study shows that the varieties Courbu, Courbu Noir Gros Courbu, Lauzet and Petit Courbu are genetically very closely related. Also the variety Gros Manseng has genetically familial characteristics.

See also the article viticulture in France and the list of grape varieties.

Synonyms

• Bordeaux, in the Spanish Basque Country Bordeleza Zuria
• Cougnet area Pacherenc du Vic - Bilh
• Courbu Blanc, Courbu Petit, courtesy in the area of Portet
• Vieux Pacherenc in the area of Lembeye
• Xuri Cerratia in the French Basque Country

Ampelographic varietal characteristics

In the ampelography the habit is described as follows:

• The shoot tip is open. It is dichtwollig hairy, whitish in color and berändert reddish. The greenish young leaves are covered schwachwollig. The leaf margins are bronze.
• The leaves are usually three-lobed (rarely five-lobed ) and strongly sinuate. The petiole is lyres -shaped open. The blade is serrated blunt. The teeth are medium in size compared to the varieties.
• The drum-shaped grape is small, sometimes shouldered. The roundish berries are small and golden yellow color.

Courbu matures almost 25-30 days after Chasselas. It is thus considered late maturing. The powerfully built strain grew provides steady returns. Courbu is susceptible to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and downy mildew of grapevine. The variety is suitable for harvesting in overripe state when the berries are affected by noble rot.