Wine Articles
Wine Articles --> Wine Varietal Basics
Wine Varietal Basics
The Whites....
Wine Varietal Basics - White Wine
Learning about wine is a lot like work and you are never done learning. Part of what I love is knowing that there is always something new out there that I have never tried before. And, part of what I hate is having a winery representative correct my pronunciation of an Italian grape or French village and realizing that I have been pronouncing it wrong for 10 years. So, if you have ever gone into a wine store and asked for Viognier as {ve-gin-ear} instead of {vee-oh-nee-aye}, here is a reference that should help. I have compiled 30 of the most common grape varieties used to make wine along with pronunciation, a brief description, food pairing suggestions and serving temperatures.
Albarino {ahl-bah-ree-nyoh}
Widely cultivated in Northern Spain, Albarino produces a light, bright white wine with floral aromas and stone fruit flavors.
A good apéritif wine, it also pairs well with shellfish, salads or light tapas.
Serve this wine chilled at 45 to 48°F, above refrigerator temperature.
Chardonnay {shar-duh-nay}
Chardonnay is the most popular of all white wine grapes and produces a medium to full-bodied wine. Its flavors are often described as being apple-y, buttery or nutty, with nuances of melon or tropical fruit. Many of the finest Chardonnay wines are produced from grapes grown in California, Chile, Argentina or Australia. In France, the famous wines of White Burgundy and Chablis are made exclusively from Chardonnay.
Enjoy with seafood, poultry, pork, salads, brie and other semi-soft cheeses. The amount of time spent in oak determines the style of the Chardonnay. The less oak, the lighter and crisper it is. The oakier the wine, the richer the food should be that you pair it with.
Serve chilled – but not too cold. Chardonnay shows best at 50 to 55°F; so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Chenin Blanc {shen-in-blahnk}
Is used for making anything from dry to sweet wines. This grape produces Vouvray and other fine white wines in the Loire Valley of France and has become the primary white wine in South Africa. They are known for their high acidity and high viscosity. Look for good California examples from Chappellet and Pine Ridge.
Another good apéritif wine, good with grilled fish, shellfish, shrimp, scallops, lighter poultry dishes and other light fare.
Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Gewürztraminer {guh-vertz-truh-mean-er}
Produces a floral, refreshing, spicy wine that can vary from dry to sweet with strong stone fruit flavors. I think that the best Gewürztraminer is produced in the Alsace region of France and in Oregon. When harvested late, it can produce a rich and complex dessert wine.
Enjoy with spicy foods, smoked meats and other pungent dishes. Like Riesling, it complements Thai food or spicy Chinese or Middle Eastern dishes.
Serve this wine only lightly chilled, well above refrigerator temperature; The warmer it gets, the more aromatics and viscosity it will display.
Marsanne {mahr-san}
Originally from the Rhône Valley in France, it is one of the primary grapes used in blended whites of Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe and Côtes du Rhône. It is now being grown and bottled in California both as a blending grape or a stand-alone varietal.
Aromatic and viscous, it can produce deeply colored wine of amazing richness. Good with richer foods, roast chicken, cream sauces or just all by itself.
Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Pinot Blanc {pee-no-blahnk}
Produces wine similar in body and taste to Pinot Gris. Much of the wine produced by these grapes is used for blending or in sparkling wines, but many California wineries are now producing excellent pure Pinot Blanc wines.
Excellent sipping wine or enjoy with fish, shrimp, chicken, lobster, dinner salads and other light fare.
Serve this wine well chilled at 44 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Pinot Gris {pee-no-gree}
The Pinot Gris grape lends itself to a variety of styles, from a light apéritif to a rich dessert wine. It produces dry wines of character in the Alsace region of France called Tokay de Alsace. It is known in Italy as Pinot Grigio, a light-bodied, dry white wine. Look for excellent Pinot Gris from Oregon and Washington States that are heavier and richer than their Italian counterparts.
This is great "deck wine," but you can also enjoy it with shellfish, shrimp, scallops and other light dishes.
Serve this wine just a little warmer at 45 to 50°F, about 10 minutes out of the refrigerator.
Riesling {rees-ling}
The Riesling grape produces a light to medium-bodied white wine with a great deal of honeyed stone fruit flavors. Styles of Riesling can vary from just off-dry to very sweet. When harvested late, it can produce a rich and complex dessert wine. Good Rieslings are exceptional wines that improve with age.
German Rieslings are classified by their level of ripeness, from driest to sweetest, QbA, Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese. Rieslings from the Alsace region of France, Australia and New Zealand tend to be drier. Our domestic Rieslings are all over the board...read the review or ask before you buy.
Enjoy with spicy foods, smoked meats and other pungent dishes. Try Riesling with Thai food, spicy Chinese or Middle Eastern dishes. Serve this wine well-chilled at 45 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Rousanne {rou-sahn}
This blending grape from the Rhône Valley is another one of the primary grapes used in blended whites of Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe and Côtes du Rhône. It is now being grown and bottled in California, both as a blending grape or a stand alone varietal. Aromatic and full-bodied, it produces a rich wine with flavors of stone fruits and honey.
Good with richer foods, roast chicken, cream sauces or just all by itself.
Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Sauvignon Blanc {soh-vihn-yohn blahnk}
Sauvignon Blanc grapes produce a crisp, refreshing wine with a variety of citrus fruit flavors. In France, it is the grape of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé and is a major component in White Bordeaux. Sometimes known as Fumé Blanc in California, this wine is also produced in New Zealand, California, South Africa, South America and Australia.
This is a food-friendly wine that loves shellfish and goat cheese. Wonderful summer sipping wine or enjoy with fish, shrimp, chicken, lobster, dinner salads and other light fare. Raw oysters or shrimp cocktail might be a perfect match.
Serve this wine well chilled at 42 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Sémillon {seh-mee-yawn}
A white wine grape grown primarily in France, California and Australia's Hunter Valley. It produces a full-bodied wine and is often used to blend with Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.
Excellent sipping wine or enjoy with fish, shrimp, chicken, lobster, dinner salads and other light fare. Like Chardonnay, serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; so pull it out of the refrigerator and let it warm up before serving.
Torrontés {toh-rohn-tehs}
The primary white wine of Argentina, no one is quite sure where it came from since its DNA does not match the Torréntes grape of Spain. It produces a light, crisp white wine that is citrusy and reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, but without the gooseberry or grapefruit components.
Wonderful summer wine or enjoy with dinner salads and other light fare. Raw oysters or shrimp cocktail might be a perfect match.
Serve this wine well chilled at 42 to 48°F, just above refrigerator temperature.
Viognier {vee-oh-nay}
The third major blending grape of Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe and Côtes du Rhône. It produces a viscous, dry wine with a floral bouquet of stone fruit and honeysuckle. It is grown successfully in the Rhône Valley in France or inAustralia, Chile and California.
An excellent apéritif wine, good with shellfish, shrimp, scallops, light poultry dishes or a summer salad.
Serve it chilled – but not too cold. It shows best at 52 to 55°F; the warmer it gets, the more the aromatics and body come to the forefront.
February 22, 2017
|
