About White Wine

ALL ABOUT WINE

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Glossary of Wine Terms

Fruit: A wide variety of fruit flavors are represented in white wines. Lychee nut, peaches and tropical fruits are all common.

Tannins: Since white wine is made with minimal skin contact, there is almost no tannin associated with the grapes. There is tannin that results from oak aging, but they are much lighter than the tannins associated with red wines.

Astringency: Some white wines exhibit signs of astringency, a drying out of the mouth. This is mostly found in Rhone whites and the richest Chardonnays.

Off Tastes as Smells:

Wet cardboard - Corked wine.
Wet horse blanket - Brett, a common bacterial spoilage, in smaller concentrations it is more like dirt than merde. Much rarer in whites than in reds.
Slight sparkle - if it is slight it is dissolved CO2, if it is accompanied by a wet forest floor smell, than it is Malo-Lactic fermentation in the bottle.

Wine Making Flavors:

Malo-Lactic Fermentation - The process of changing the sharp malic acid (in apples) into the softer lactic acid (in milk). The process also leaves the by product DIACETYL, the taste of butter.

Oak - If it is complex with cloves and woody spices, it is French oak. If it is forward with vanilla, it is American oak. If it is musty it is from old barrels.

Oxidation - Caramel, or a burnt sugar smell. Deep golden hues in the wine are another hint. This is most common with older white wines.

Blending - While not always obvious, a wine that tastes complex may have been blended with several grape varieties.

Climatic Characteristics:

Hot weather - A deep rich flavor lacking in acidity or bright fruit. The hotter the region the more flabby (less acidic) the wines tend to be. Because of the overripe fruit, and the propensity to oxidize hot fruit, the color tends towards golden shades of yellow.

Cool weather - Cool growing conditions pronounce the acidity. If the fruit is picked too early, it will be sharply acidic. If they are picked too late, there is a chance of damage from freezing.

Temperate weather - If it is not too hot nor too cool, the ideal grape varieties are those with long growing seasons. A balance between acidity and sugar levels are more easily accomplished.

Note: In white wine especially, modern winemaking techniques help to counteract many of the shortcomings of climate.

Varietals

Burgundy wine (white): Burgundy is a region in eastern France that produces excellent red and white wines. Some of the better wine-producing areas in Burgundy are Chablis and Pouilly-Fuissé, both of which produce exquisite white wines from Chardonnay grapes. Burgundy wines produced in the United States are usually inexpensive blends of different grape varieties.

Chablis Pronunciation: shah-BLEE: If made in France, this is a very dry, delicately flavored white wine that's made with Chardonnay grapes. It's great with seafood, especially oysters. If made domestically, like a California Chablis, it's a sweet and cheap jug wine.

Chardonnay Pronunciation: shar-duh-NAY: This elegant white varietal wine is crisp and dry, and great with seafood, poultry, ham, egg dishes, salads, and any dish with a rich cream sauce. California Chardonnays are often excellent. Substitutes: Pinot blanc OR Chablis (French Chablis wines are made with Chardonnay grapes.) OR Muscadet OR vermouth (Use this substitute for cooking, not drinking. Use dry vermouth only.)

Chenin blanc = White Pinot: This is a grape variety that's often blended with others to make inexpensive white jug wines and domestic Chablis. It's relatively inexpensive and goes well with salads, seafood, poultry, ham, and spicy foods.

French Colombard: This is a variety of grape that's often made into white jug wine.

Gewürztraminer Pronunciation: guh-VURTZ-trah-mean-er: German and domestic versions of this white wine are somewhat sweet, flowery, and relatively low in alcohol. They're very good with curry and spicy Asian food. Imports from Alsace tend to be drier and are excellent with seafood and poultry.

Johannisberg Riesling Pronunciation: yoh-HAHN-iss-berg REEZ-ling: This is a grape variety that produces a fragrant, fresh-tasting white wine that's great with ham, sausages, smoked fish, shellfish, or spicy Asian food. It's the grape that's used to make excellent Rhine wines in Germany. Don't confuse these excellent wines with domestic Riesling wines, which are usually made with inferior cousins of the Johanissberg Riesling grape. Late harvest Johannisberg Rieslings are very sweet, and make excellent dessert wines.

Muscadet Pronunciation: moo-skuh-DAY: This is a district in Brittany, France, that produces a crisp, light white wine that's especially good with seafood. Always serve it chilled. Don't confuse this with Muscatel or Muscat, which are both dessert wines.

Pinot blanc Pronunciation: pee-noh BLAHN: This is a good, but unexceptional, dry white wine that's good with seafood and poultry.

Pinot Grigio = Pinot gris: This is a dry white wine that goes especially well with seafood. Pinot Grigio is the Italian name, Pinot Gris the French.

Pouilly-Fumé = Fumé de Pouilly = Pouilly-Fume = Fume de Pouilly Pronunciation: pooh-YEE few-MAY: This is a highly regarded dry white wine.

Pouilly-Fuissé Pronunciation: pooh-YEE fwee-SAY: This is an area in the Burgundy region of France that's renown for its exquisite white wines. Made with Chardonnay grapes, these wines are great with seafood and hors d'oeuvres. Notes: Chardonnay

retsina Pronunciation: ret-SEE-nah: This is a white Greek wine that's flavored with pine resin. It's popular with Greeks, but hasn't caught on elsewhere. It should be served at room temperature.

Riesling Pronunciation: REEZ-ling: If made in Germany or Alsace, a Riesling is a very good, somewhat sweet white wine. If made in America, it's usually a so-so white wine that's usually made from Sylvaner = Franken Riesling, Gray Riesling and Emerald Riesling grapes, mediocre varieties which coast on the reputation of their superior relative, Johanissberg Riesling.

Sauvignon blanc = blanc fumé = blanc fume Pronunciation: so-vee-NYOHN BLAHN: This light white wine is often described as having a "grassy" flavor. It's terrific with seafood, poultry, and other delicately flavored dishes.

Sémillon = Semillon Pronunciation: say-me-YOHN: This is a grape variety that's sometimes developed into a dry white wine, sometimes into a excellent dessert wine.

Viognier Pronunciation: vee-ohn-YAY: This assertive white wine from California exudes a complex perfume of flowers and fruit. It's expensive and hard to find, but it's delicious with seafood and poultry.

Vouvray Pronunciation: voo-VRAY: This is a slightly sweet French white wine made with Chenin blanc grapes.

More Links about WhiteWine

NoMerlot.com - White Wine Ratings - The latest award winners or otherwise highest-rated by site members, and click around for more on their top ten picks, wine search, registration details.

White Wine Making in France - A step-by-step description of the process starting with the crushing of the grapes followed by fermentation, maceration, raking and aging.

White Bordeaux wines - How Bordeaux is produced, grape varieties used, plus details on color, aroma and taste, and a quick guide to serving and appreciating Bordeaux.

Cooking with Whte Wine - A full range of recipes that use white wine. Have a sip while you cook!

Professional Friends of Wine - If you want to know what the grapes look like, how to pronounce them, and every bit of information about a varietal. This is the place for you.

Purchase White Wine

Golden Kaan 2004 Sauvignon Blanc - White Wine

Buena Vista 2004 EVS Chardonnay Ramal Vineyard Estate - White Wine

Philipponnat NV Brut Reserve Rose - Champagne & Sparkling

Falesco 2004 Vitiano Bianco - Italian White Wine

J.J. Prum 2003 Graacher HimmelreiChateau Gold Capsule Auslese - Riesling White Wine

Gary Farrell 2004 Cresta Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay - White Wine

Alois Lageder 2005 Pinot Grigio - Pinot Gris/Grigio White Wine

Fernleaf 2005 Sauvignon Blanc - White Wine

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