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A VISION IN WHITE
An introduction to the grapes that make your white wine sparkle
Man, what a day.
You come home from work, drop your bags and can’t dig the
corkscrew out of the drawer fast enough. As you enjoy a chilled
glass of your beloved pinot, you try to relax and unwind, willing
yourself to think about something besides work. While that “something” may
include your favorite sitcom or a good read, it likely isn’t
the grapes in your beverage. Yet your favorite vino’s taste,
flavor, aroma and other qualities are dominated by the DNA of the
grape from which it was made…so maybe they do deserve a
little face time.
In this article we’ll get acquainted with white grapes;
read about reds here.
And while we’re on the subject of white vs. red, did you
know that the color of a grape’s juice (most of the time
it’s clear) doesn’t determine the color of the wine?
It’s all about the skin during fermentation. Yet both white
and red wines share one thing in common: they are often used to
make varietals, or wines produced primarily from a single variety
of grape.
You’ve Got to Have Standards—or
Not
So, who decides how much of one grape it takes to be a varietal?
Laws vary from region to region, but in general a wine must consist
of at least 75 percent of a specific grape to earn the title
(this figure is true in California and Washington; most Oregon
varietals must be 90 percent of the named grape).
While it’s true that there isn’t a single standard
for each grape varietal, all of the fruit from a single varietal
(Chardonnay and Merlot, for example) share a similar genetic makeup.
Yet there are countless variances, strains and clones of each varietal
which provide each wine with unique characteristics. Growing conditions,
soil, water and wine-making techniques also play a role in making
a Chardonnay grape grown in Napa Valley quite different from one
grown in Australia. And this gives us the excuse we need to sample
wines from around the world and find the type, style and location
we prefer.
The following white grapes are the most commonly found and purchased
varietals.
• Chardonnay
• Gewürztraminer
• Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
• Riesling
• Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay
This variety is the best-known white wine grape, and is a medium to heavy bodied wine.
REGIONS: Chardonnay vines are one of the most popular and easiest
to grow They also have a high yield so they are successfully grown
all over the world. In its Burgundy, France its homeland, Chardonnay
was for the sole vine responsible for all of the finest white Burgundy.
Australia, New Zealand and even South America have also succeeded
in producing world-class wines in recent years. California has
produced world-renowned Chardonnay, yet some wineries have tarnished
the state’s image where this varietal is concerned by producing
quick and inexpensive impostors in order to quench the consumer’s
thirst for Chardonnay.
TASTE: flavors should be numerous and discernible, varying from
the fruity (apple, pear, lemon/citrus) to oak and vanilla, as Chardonnay
is traditionally stored in oak barrels. Many producers perform
a second fermentation on the wine (malolactic fermentation) which
produces a creamy and buttery taste. A hint of floral can sometimes
be detected.
GOES WITH: Chardonnay pairs especially well with chicken, salmon,
shellfish and halibut, and pastas served with a cream sauce such
as Fettuccini Alfredo.
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer wines are readily identifiable, coming in distinctive
tall, thin bottles, and may be very dry to semi-sweet.
TASTE: The first part of the name literally means "spicy" in
German, and they may possess a strong floral aroma and lychee nut-like
flavor. Other flavor combinations may include rose petals, rich
spice and fruit flavors of peach, apricot, and tropical fruit.
Because of their spicy aroma and taste, Gewürztraminers are
sometimes seen as less refreshing than other dry white wines and
are generally not aged as they taste their best when young. Late
harvest Gewurztraminer will be made into dessert wine (more time
on the vine makes it sweeter).
REGION: Gewurztraminer varietals are grown primarily in cooler
climates, such as in Alsace between France and Germany, in the
western United States and in Australia and New Zealand.
GOES WITH: A dry Gewürztraminer is a good match with spicy
foods found in many ethnic dishes and is also quite good with fish
(and, of course desserts, as previously mentioned).
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
This darkly colored white grape makes one of the few white wines
that age well. Despite this, most Pinot Gris—or Grigio
when grown in Italy—is not aged and, unless you know the
wine well, it is not generally recommended that you age it yourself.
REGION: Pinot Grigio wines became popular in Italy but have been
successfully grown in Oregon.
TASTE: American Pinot Gris wines are most commonly dry and crisp.
Their flavors can include those of peaches, pears or especially
citrus. If the wine has been aged in oak, it will likely have an
aroma of smoked almonds or vanilla. It is also rich in spice flavors.
Italian and French Pinot Grigios are more fruity and flowery, though
they still have a mineral aroma.
GOES WITH: I researched and found fish, pasta and game birds as
common choices. Okay?
Riesling
Riesling grapes come from Germany, where they have been cultivated
since the early 1400s. Rieslings are well known for their cellar
longevity. In 1961, a 420 year old bottle of Riesling was tasted
and—amazingly—had not yet perished.
REGION: Riesling grapes come from Germany but are now grown worldwide
with a fair amount of success. In particular, California has produced
some excellent Rieslings; Washington and Oregon wineries have also
done quite well. Other producers of note include South Africa,
Australia, Italy, Russia and Chile.
TASTE: Rieslings are among the sweeter and lighter whites, much
lighter than Chardonnay.
Though they vary in flavor depending on their region and wine production
processes employed, sweet Rieslings typically taste of apples,
apricots or peaches while dry Rieslings hold the flavor of lemon
and herbs or peaches. Both have a floral aroma reminiscent of apples,
rose petals and violets.
German Rieslings have traditionally been more sweet while the U.S.
typically produces dry Riesling.
As with Gewürztraminers, some late harvested Rieslings become
dessert wines.
GOES WITH: Pair your Riesling with fish, poultry, pork and light
cheeses.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a light wine that is crisp and acidic. It is
usually dry and generally lighter than Chardonnay. (FYI, Sauvignon
Blanc and Fumé Blanc are actually the same type of wine.
Fumé is just a market name for dry Sauvignon Blanc. It
refers to the smoky flavors that occur when the Sauvignon Blanc
is aged in oak.)
REGION: The grapes used to make Sauvignon Blanc thrive in the
cool climate of France’s Loire Valley, the Northern California
coastline, and areas of South America, Australia and New Zealand.
In fact, New Zealand is one of the world’s top producers
of Sauvignon Blanc.
TASTE: With a higher acid level than Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blanc’s
flavor has been likened to green apples and pears—and even
to bell peppers and freshly cut grass! While it may be also be
aged in stainless steel tanks, Sauvignon Blanc that’s been
aged in oak barrels will taste slightly smoky.
GOES WITH: Sauvignon Blanc works with a variety of entrees—especially
fish and poultry.
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