People often mistake the relatively obscure white varietal for chardonnay.
But pinot blanc, called pinot bianco in Italy and weissburgunder in Germany and Austria, is no mere lesser cousin. Most likely a mutation of pinot gris, it s been dubbed the white clone of its true cousin, pinot noir. Pinot blanc is wonderful with food because of its relatively compressed flavor profile. But most people have never tried pinot blanc, and are not about to start. That s too bad, because PB offers an affordable change of pace from chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and riesling.