Plantet Grape variety guide: history, French regions, taste & food pairing
Plantet is a French hybrid red grape, once among the most planted vines in the Loire Valley and central France and now enjoying a quiet comeback with natural winemakers.
Learn more about Plantet
History & origins
Plantet was bred around the turn of the 20th century by Albert Seibel in the Ardèche, under the code Seibel 5455, by crossing European vines with phylloxera- and mildew-resistant American species. Hardy and productive, it covered tens of thousands of hectares by the mid-1900s. French law later excluded hybrids from appellation wines and encouraged uprooting, but surviving old vines are prized today for low-input, organic viticulture.
French regions & appellations
Found mainly in the Loire (Anjou, Touraine, Sarthe) and Burgundy fringes, bottled as Vin de France since hybrids are not allowed in AOC wines.
Taste profile
Light to medium body, deep purple color, juicy and low in tannin, with blackcurrant, blackberry, red plum, violet and a touch of wild earthiness.
Food pairing
A fun, chillable red for charcuterie, rillettes, pizza, burgers, roast chicken, grilled vegetables and casual picnics.