Len de l'El
Encyclopedia
Len de l'El is a white French wine
grape variety native to South West France
. Appellation d'origine contrôlée
(AOC) regulation dictate that the white wines from Gaillac must include at least 15% Len de l'El blended with Mauzac
, though there has been movements to allow substitution of Sauvignon Blanc
(and since 2007 growers have been officially permitted to do so).
Prior to the phylloxera epidemic, Len de l'El constituted more than 30% of all plantings in the Gaillac region. But the grapes are prone to rot and have been declining in plantings in recent times. The wines made from the grape are typically full bodied with low acidity but powerful fruit notes.
region of Southwest France where it has had a long history of wine production. Even as the 20th century saw the introduction of new grape varieties and a push towards more international and marketable varieties, strong regional attachment to the variety has kept the grape from falling into obscurity. Like the Manseng family of grapes
in the Jurançon, growers in the Gaillac region used the codification of wine laws for the Appellation d'origine contrôlée in 1938 to dictate a minimum usage of Len de l'El for all white blends produced in the area--thus sustaining its presence. While the laws were later amended in the 21st century to allow the substitution of Sauvignon blanc, the effects of the initial mandate for Len de l'El's use helped maintain the variety's presence in the region.
It is widely accepted that the name Len de l'El comes from the Toulouse Occitan dialect
. Incidentally, it is phonetically similar to the French translation loin de l'œil meaning "far from the eye" with the synonym
sometimes still seen on wine label
s along with other alternative spellings. Wine expert Oz Clarke
explains that the name refers to the position of the fruit in respect to the bud
: the clustered grapes have long stalks
that attach to the fruiting cane at a distance that is farther from the bud (or "eye", oeil in French) than most grape varieties. This explanation is supported by Gaillac wine growers and at least one French ampelography
authority as well.
Len de l'El is found virtually exclusively in the Gaillac AOC where it is a minor blending grape in the white and sparkling wine
blends based primarily on the Mauzac grape. According to AOC regulations, at least 15% of the white blends must include either Len de l'El or Sauvignon blanc. Other grapes that may be blended with Len de l'El include Sémillon
, Muscadelle
and Ondenc
.
The grape can also be found in the experimental wines of several vin de pays
, most notably the major VDP of Southwest France Vin de Pays du Comté Tolosan where it is often blended with Muscadelle, Petit Manseng
, Muscat blanc, Mauzac and Sauvignon blanc.
The vine can be quite vigorous and produce larger yields that can further dilute the character of the grape if not kept in check. While it is often blended with Mauzac, Len de l'El's tendency to ripen up to two weeks earlier than Mauzac can create some complications for growers which often requires Mauzauc to be harvested a little bit earlier so its acidity can balance the alcohol of Len de l'El.
, the grape can produce "powerful and characterful" full bodied wines.
French wine
French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...
grape variety native to South West France
South West France (wine region)
South West France or in French Sud-Ouest, is a wine region in France covering several wine-producing areas situated respectively inland from, and south of, the wine region of Bordeaux...
. Appellation d'origine contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) regulation dictate that the white wines from Gaillac must include at least 15% Len de l'El blended with Mauzac
Mauzac (grape)
Mauzac or Mauzac Blanc a white variety of grape used for wine, of the species Vitis vinifera. It is mainly grown in the Gaillac and Limoux regions in the southwest of France. Total French plantations of Mauzac stood at in the year 2000....
, though there has been movements to allow substitution of Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
(and since 2007 growers have been officially permitted to do so).
Prior to the phylloxera epidemic, Len de l'El constituted more than 30% of all plantings in the Gaillac region. But the grapes are prone to rot and have been declining in plantings in recent times. The wines made from the grape are typically full bodied with low acidity but powerful fruit notes.
History and name origins
Ampelographers believe that Len de l'El is native to GaillacGaillac
Gaillac is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-Geography of Gaillac:Gaillac is a town situated between Toulouse, Albi and Monatauban. It has gained a large amount of recognition due to the wines that bear the towns name. The Tarn river runs along the border of the town by the...
region of Southwest France where it has had a long history of wine production. Even as the 20th century saw the introduction of new grape varieties and a push towards more international and marketable varieties, strong regional attachment to the variety has kept the grape from falling into obscurity. Like the Manseng family of grapes
Gros Manseng
Gros Manseng is a white wine grape variety that is grown primarily in South West France, and is part of the Manseng family. It produces dry wines in the Jurançon and Béarn regions of Southwest France...
in the Jurançon, growers in the Gaillac region used the codification of wine laws for the Appellation d'origine contrôlée in 1938 to dictate a minimum usage of Len de l'El for all white blends produced in the area--thus sustaining its presence. While the laws were later amended in the 21st century to allow the substitution of Sauvignon blanc, the effects of the initial mandate for Len de l'El's use helped maintain the variety's presence in the region.
It is widely accepted that the name Len de l'El comes from the Toulouse Occitan dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
. Incidentally, it is phonetically similar to the French translation loin de l'œil meaning "far from the eye" with the synonym
Synonym
Synonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...
sometimes still seen on wine label
Wine label
Wine labels are important sources of information for consumers since they tell the type and origin of the wine. The label is often the only resource a buyer has for evaluating the wine before purchasing it...
s along with other alternative spellings. Wine expert Oz Clarke
Oz Clarke
Robert "Oz" Clarke is a British wine writer, television presenter and broadcaster.-Biography:Clarke’s parents were a chest physician and a nursing sister. He was brought up near Canterbury with a brother and a sister. Clarke became a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and subsequently won a choral...
explains that the name refers to the position of the fruit in respect to the bud
Bud
In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of the stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormant condition, or it may form a shoot immediately. Buds may be specialized to develop flowers or short shoots, or may have...
: the clustered grapes have long stalks
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
that attach to the fruiting cane at a distance that is farther from the bud (or "eye", oeil in French) than most grape varieties. This explanation is supported by Gaillac wine growers and at least one French ampelography
Ampelography
Ampelography is the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines, Vitis spp. Traditionally this has been done by comparing the shape and colour of the vine leaves and grape berries; more recently the study of vines has been revolutionised by DNA...
authority as well.
Wine regions
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
blends based primarily on the Mauzac grape. According to AOC regulations, at least 15% of the white blends must include either Len de l'El or Sauvignon blanc. Other grapes that may be blended with Len de l'El include Sémillon
Sémillon
Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France and Australia.-History:The origin of the Sémillon grape is hard to determine. It is known that it first arrived in Australia in the early 19th century and by the 1820s the grape covered over 90 percent...
, Muscadelle
Muscadelle
Muscadelle is a white wine grape variety. It has a simple aroma of grape juice and raisins like grapes of the Muscat family of grapes, but it is unrelated....
and Ondenc
Ondenc
Ondenc is a white French wine grape found predominantly in the Gaillac region of southwest France. In the 19th century, it was a popular planting in Bordeaux but fell out of favor following the phylloxera epidemic due to poor yields and sensitive to grape disease, though is still one of the seven...
.
The grape can also be found in the experimental wines of several vin de pays
Vin de pays
Vin de pays is a French term meaning "country wine". Vins de pays are a step in the French wine classification which is above the table wine classification, but below the VDQS and Appellation d'origine contrôlée classifications...
, most notably the major VDP of Southwest France Vin de Pays du Comté Tolosan where it is often blended with Muscadelle, Petit Manseng
Petit Manseng
Petit Manseng is a white wine grape variety that is grown primarily in South West France. It produces the highest quality wine of any grape in the Manseng family. The name is derived from its small, thick skin berries. Coupled with the small yields of the grapevine, most Petit Manseng farmers...
, Muscat blanc, Mauzac and Sauvignon blanc.
Viticulture
Len de l'El is highly prone to various grape diseases, particularly the grape rots that can afflict vineyards in the moist maritime climate of Southwest France. Therefore, growers tend to limit plantings of the grapes to hillside locations with well draining vineyard soils and ventilation of air currents to keep the vines dry.The vine can be quite vigorous and produce larger yields that can further dilute the character of the grape if not kept in check. While it is often blended with Mauzac, Len de l'El's tendency to ripen up to two weeks earlier than Mauzac can create some complications for growers which often requires Mauzauc to be harvested a little bit earlier so its acidity can balance the alcohol of Len de l'El.
Wine styles
Len de l'El can ripen to high sugar levels but usually fails to retain the acidity needed to balance the wine and keep it from coming across as flabby. Still, it is a flexible grape that can be used in blends as well as sparkling and sweet dessert style wines. According to wine expert Jancis RobinsonJancis Robinson
Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW is a British wine critic, journalist and editor of wine literature. She currently writes a weekly column for the Financial Times, and writes for her website jancisrobinson.com...
, the grape can produce "powerful and characterful" full bodied wines.