🍇 Gros Manseng
A white variety of south-western France, one of the two main grapes of Jurançon: base yield 40 hl/ha, dry wine recognised as AOC in 1975.
Gros Manseng is a white wine grape variety from south-western France. Together with Petit Manseng it is the main variety of the Jurançon appellation in the Pyrenean foothills. It gives dry and sweet white wines with marked acidity and aromas of apricot, quince, spices and flowers.
Gros Manseng berries are larger than Petit Manseng’s, with thicker skin and a much higher yield; the vine is less prone to flower shatter. The wine is less refined and concentrated than Petit Manseng’s. Picked at a potential alcohol of 11.5–12%, it is fresher and more floral; at 12.5–13.5%, more intense and powerful.
Jurançon specification (2025): main varieties Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng; complementary ones camaralet de Lasseube, courbu, petit courbu and lauzet. “Late harvest” wine is made only from the two Mansengs, picked no earlier than 2 November. The base yield is 40 hl/ha (dry wine 60 hl/ha), picking is by hand, and dry wine has no more than 4 g/l of sugar.
Jurançon history: vineyards shrank from 6000 ha at the end of the 19th century to under 600 ha in the mid-20th; AOC was recognised for sweet wines in 1936 and dry in 1975, and “vendanges tardives” has been allowed since 1995. By 2010 the area again reached about 1200 ha. France had 2877 ha of Gros Manseng in 2007; it is also found in Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, Béarn, Saint-Mont and Floc de Gascogne.
Why it matters to you. A Jurançon label without the word sec means a sweet wine with over 40 g/l of sugar, while Jurançon sec is dry (up to 4 g/l). According to INAO, young sweet wines are fruity and floral, and with age notes of dried fruit and spices appear; late harvest wines can age for about 20 years.
Facts
| Country | France 1 |
|---|---|
| Region | South-western France; Jurançon 2 |
| Registered | Jurançon: AOC 1936 (sweet), 1975 (dry) 2 |
| Yield | Jurançon: 40 hl/ha; dry: 60 hl/ha 2 |
| Sweetness | Jurançon sec ≤ 4 g/l; without the sec mention > 40 g/l 2 |
| Taste | Apricot, quince, spices, flowers; high acidity |
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Gros Manseng → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ French wine
- Where it grows
- 📜 Jurançon, 📍 Gascony, 📍 South West France, 📍 Pyrenees (Béarn and Basque Country)
- Main grape in
- 📜 Irouléguy, 📜 Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, 📜 Saint-Mont, 📜 Côtes de Gascogne, 📜 Jurançon
- Related to
- 🍷 Sweet wine
Frequently asked questions
What is Gros Manseng?
A white grape variety from south-western France, one of the two main varieties of Jurançon wines.
How does Gros Manseng differ from Petit Manseng?
It has larger berries with a thick skin and a much higher yield, and the wine from it is less refined and concentrated (Wikipedia).
What wines are made from Gros Manseng?
Dry and sweet white wines with marked acidity and aromas of apricot, quince, spices and flowers.
How much sugar is there in Jurançon?
In Jurançon sec no more than 4 g/l, in Jurançon without the sec mention over 40 g/l (2025 specification).
Is it true that Jurançon is always sweet?
No. There is also dry wine marked sec; dry was recognised as AOC in 1975, sweet in 1936.
What to read next
- 🗺️ French wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
- 📜 Côtes de Gascogne — Regional wines of Gascony, above all fresh whites from Colombard.
- 📍 South West France — The land between the Massif Central, the Pyrenees and the Atlantic; IGP Comté Tolosan across 12 departments, Cahors, Madiran and Jurançon.
- 📜 Irouléguy — French PDO red, rosé and white wines from the Basque Country.
- 📍 Gascony — The hills of Gascony, known for white wines and Armagnac.
Similar
🍇 Petit Courbu · 🍇 Petit Manseng · 🍇 Tannat · 🍇 Manseng Noir · 🍇 Vignoles · 🍇 Arrouya
Sources
- VIVC. Manseng gros blanc (passport 7338)
- Cahier des charges de l'AOC «Jurançon», arrêté du 26 mai 2025 (BO agri du 12.06.2025)
- INAO. Fiche produit «Jurançon»