It may be a white mutation of the popular Pinot Gris, yet Pinot Blanc has not achieved the same adulation as its star counterpart, and the nearest it gets to a leading role is in some parts of northern Italy and Alsace. It makes subtle yet bright, fresh wines that resemble a milder version of Chardonnay and are highly drinkable and food-friendly. In Alsace (where it is also called Klevner), Pinot Blanc can display a touch of spice with its rounded, creamy fruit, and is often used in the production of base wines for Crémant d'Alsace. In Italy, as Pinot Bianco, the wines are lighter and more minerally, with some apple and pear character. The variety is also planted in Germany and Austria (as Weissburgunder), eastern Europe and California, but has been largely ignored by the rest of the New World in preference for Chardonnay.