Petit Manseng

Southwest France's Jurançon grape; passion fruit and honey.

Petit Manseng is the principal grape of Jurançon in the French Pyrenees foothills, traditionally late-harvested and air-dried on the vine for sweet wines (moelleux). The grape's thick skins resist autumn rot, allowing extended hang time. Dry Jurançon Sec from earlier-picked Petit Manseng has grown as a category since the 1990s, showing passion fruit, candied citrus, and honeyed notes with high acid. Modest New World plantings include Virginia and California.