Wine Place - White Wines

While red wines are probably more popular for wine lovers, it's not surprising that most of them start out drinking white wine first. One big difference between red and white wine is the absence of tannin, which gives you that harsh or astingent taste when you have too much of it. That is the reason why white wine is often enjoyed chilled. There are many styles of white wines that can be made and the broad styles are mentioned here. Like red wine, there are many different types of grapes used for white wines and I will feature the most popular ones here. Included here is the popular white wines of France, Germany and Italy.

Style of White Wines

For white wines, the style is determined by three factors:

Dry or Sweet	This depends on the grape used and the fermentation process. By stopping the fermentation prematurely, some of the grape's natural sugar remains. Alternatively, some unfermented (sweet) wine is added to the wine.
Crisp or Soft	Again depends on wine making techniques and grape used. Processes such as malolactic ferementation and lees-stiring help to reduce the acidicty of some wines.
Oaked or Unoaked	By putting the wine in oak barrels for a period of time between fermentation and bottling, the wine will be oaked.

Here are some examples of wines that are made in the different combination of styles. Again, it varies from wine-makers to wine-makers and exceptions from the below list do occur.

Crisp, Dry and unoaked wines	- Italian Soave, Pinot Grigio, Frascati; Muscadet (grape); Sancerre (region), dry German Riesling (grape), Chablis (region) and inexpensive French white table wines.
Less crisp, full bodied dry, unoaked wines	- Macon-Village (region), Savignon Blanc (grape), Alsace (region) wine and many inexpensive Australian and Californian wines.
Less crisp, full bodied dry and oaked wines	- Better Californian and Australian Chardonnay (grape), Burgundy (region) wines, Pouilly-Fuisse (region), Rhone valley (region) and better Bordeaux whites.
Soft, fruity, sweet wines.	- Liebfraumilch (style), German Riesling, Gewurztraminer (grape), Vouvray (region), Muscat (grape), some Semillon (grape) and Chenin Blanc (grape).

Types of White Grapes

a. Chardonnay (Shar doe nay)

Where it is produced : France, US, Australia, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand and many other places.

Characteristics : Known as the "King of White Wine", it is currently the most popular white wine grape. It's color is pale to straw yellow and its aroma can vary from region to region. In cooler climates, there are hints of apple, citrus, butter and vanilla whereas in the warmer climate, the aroma swings toward melon and tropical fruits. It is usually oaked and is full bodied and toasty with moderate acidity.

b. Sauvignon Blanc (Saw Vee nyon blahnk)

Where it is produced : Bordeaux, Loire Valley, US, Australia, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand, Italy and many other places.

Characteristics : Also known as Fumé Blanc, this grape is a popular blending grape for Bordeaux wines. It's color is light to medium yellow with a tinge of green. It has a grassy bouquet like the smell of freshly cut lawn. May also display scents of lemons, asparagus and fig.

c. Chenin Blanc (shay nan blahnk)

Where it is produced : Vouvray, Anjou, Saveuniéres, Saumur, Steen, US.

Characteristics : Used to make many different types of wine - sparkling, dry and sweet wines. It's color is usually pale to medium yellow and may vary from dry to semi-sweet and sweet with moderate to high acidity. It has a honey aroma with scents of hay as well.

d. Sémillon (sem ee yon)

Where it is produced : Bordeaux, Australia, South Africa and Chile.

Characteristics : The grape is well known in France for making the sweet wines of Sauternes although in other parts of the world, it is made as a dry white wine. It is also a common blending partner with the Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux. It's color is light to medium yellow. It's aroma is slightly grassy with a hint of lemon. With maturity, it develops nutty, buttery and toasty scents. The wines from Sauternes has honey-like bouquet and isi sweet.

e. Gewürztraminer (gah VERTZ trah mee ner)

Where it is produced : Alsace, Germany, US.

Characteristics : This very distinctive grape is found in limited regions but is gaining some popularity. It's color is medium yellow and it has a strong bouquet of fresh roses and lychee fruit. It is often a soft fat wine and can sometimes be spicy. The best Gewürztraminers are found in Alsace and Germany.

f. Muscat (moos caht)

Where it is produced : Alsace, Italy, Austria

Characteristics : Also known as Muskateller or Muskadel. Is also often confused with the Muscadet (Muss ka day) grape used in the Loire valley in France. Used to make types of dessert, sparkling and dry white wines. It color is medium yellow and it has a strong flowery, perfumey, fruity flavor that is very distinct.

g. Riesling (Rees ling)

Where it is produced : Alsace, Germany, Austria, US, Australia and Canada.

Characteristics : Also known as Rhine Riesling or Johannisberg Riesling in some parts of the world. It is pale straw in color and is best recognised by its foral bouquet.In Alsace, it is made dry and crisp but maintaining its elegant scents and concentrated flavor. In Germany, it is often made a sweet dessert wine. Its aroma has suggestion of lemons, flowers and pineapples.

h. Pinot Blanc (pee noh blahnk)

Where it is produced : Alsace, Germany, Italy, Austria, US.

Characteristics : Also known as Pinot Blanco in Italy and Weissburgunder in Germany, Pinot Blanc belongs to the Pinot family of grapes. Its color is pale yellow with suggestion of honey, apples and rich tropical fruit. Tends to be dry crisp and full-bodied.

i. Pinot Gris (Pee noh gree)

Where it is produced : Alsace, Germany, Italy, Austria, US,.

Characteristics : Also known as Tokay D'Alsace or Pinot Grigio. It is yellow in color and has a dry, rich, full bodied, pear-like taste with creamy texture. It has a smokey or musky aroma though your may experience some buttery flavor with apricot overtones.

j. Trebbiano (treb bee Ah noh)

Where it is produced : France, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Argentina.

Characteristics : Also known as Frascati or Orvieto. It's color is water pale to pale straw and is usually light bodied, dry, crisp and fruity. Often used as a blending grape as well, it has rather neutral aroma or faint nutty bouquet.

k. Viognier (vee oh nyay)

Where it is produced : Rhone, California

Characteristics : Also known as Condrieu or Chateau Grillet. It's color is pale gold with tinges of green. It has a floral bouquet with hints of apricots and peaches. Though taste sweet, it is a dry medium bodied wine.

White Wines from France

Region and Wines	Grape Varieties
Burgundy	Chardonnay
Chablis	Chardonnay
Champagne	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
Condrieu, Chateau Grillet	Viognier
Graves	Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
Hermitage	Marsanne and Roussanne
Muscadet	Muscadet
Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé	Sauvignon Blanc
Sauternes	Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc
Vouvray, Montlouis	Chenin Blanc

White Wines from Germany

Region and Wines	Grape Varieties
Liefraumilch	Many assortment
Mosel	Riesling
Rheingau	Riesling

White Wines from Italy

Region and Wines	Grape Varieties
Asti Spumante	Moscato d'Asti or Moscato di Canelli
Frascati	Trebbiano
Gavi	Cortese di Gavi
Orvieto	Trebbiano
Pinot Grigio	Pinot Grigio
Soave	Garganega and Trebbiano
Verdicchio	Verdicchio