creating a fuller bodied white wine from red wine grapes that the Champenois could uniquely market. Despite their best efforts, the Champenois did not have the technical expertise to make a truly "white" wine from red grapes, instead producing slightly pale colored wines which became known as "œil de Perdrix" or the "eye of the partridge". Centuries later, a Benedictine monk named Dom Pérignon would eventually perfect the method of producing white wine from red grapes that would be a vital component in the success of sparkling Champagne wine. Wine styles Oeil de Perdrix is a particular speciality of the area around Neuchâtel in Switzerland, where it is made from Pinot noir grapes. It has a continued presence in Swiss wine as a dry rose style made from the free run (i.e. not pressed) juices of Pinot noir. The wine is meant to be chilled and consumed young. Vin gris is a more general term to describe white wine made from the black Pinot noir grapes. Currently, Oeil de Perdrix is an AOC wine and can only be produced in the designated AOC region. White Zinfandel Perhaps the most successful Oeil de Perdrix wine was made from Zinfandel at Sutter Home Winery. In 1975, this wine experienced a stuck fermentation, and the pink, sweet style of White Zinfandel, that would go on to enjoy massive commercial success, was thus accidentally born. Bob Trinchero originally planned to name the new wine Oeil de Perdrix, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) demanded that Trinchero translate the name, so he added "White Zinfandel" to the label. References External links French wine Rosé wines