White Wine Varieties

White Wine

White wines are made from the juices of white grapes. With the addition of yeast, the grape juice ferments, loses its sugar content and becomes alcoholic. The method of fermentation will determine the type of wine.

White wines can be produced in a range of styles, flavours and forms, including dry, fruity, sparkling and dessert-type wines. In the same way, the colours vary depending on the type of white wine: dry whites are usually pale, almost transparent. Sweeter wines like Gewurztraminer will be slightly more yellow, while the bona fide dessert wines are yellow-gold, sometimes brown. The predominant grape in white wine is Chardonnay, like Cabernet Sauvignon is to the red grape family. This grape grows well in almost all the major wine-producing countries of the world and is processed into a number of white wine types and styles.

White wine is usually paired with white meats like chicken, fish and pork. Depending on the acidity and tannin content of the wine, it also makes a good pairing for seafood and pasta with a creamy base.


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Chablis

This wine is known as a white Burgundy because it originates in the wine-producing region of France. Like other white wines cultivated around the town of Chablis, this wine of the same name is mostly Chardonnay. Like all Burgundy wines, Chablis is categorised according to the vineyard in which it is grown, ranging from inexpensive and simple wines to the expensive, complex varieties cultivated in the best growing sites.

A good Chablis is a delicate, subtle wine with a slight sharpness to it, but the smooth neutrality of the Chardonnay smooths it considerably. A young Chablis is often described as having a stony demeanour, bringing to mind minerals and cool steel. A little aging goes a long way to tame the inborn metallic tones as well as the high acidity content contributed by the Chardonnay.

Chablis is best paired with crisp green vegetables, creamy soups, seafood prepared in haute cuisine and poultry dishes.

 

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is to white wine what Cabernet is to reds - it has become the world's most popular dry white wine. Australian Chardonnay is grown in the Barossa Valley, the Yarra Valley and Adelaide Hills and features varying characteristics depending on where it is cultivated.

Chardonnay's delicate and neutral demeanour allows it to be processed in a number of different styles to produce a variety of white wines. Its flavours and bouquets are unmistakable, although when Chardonnay is blended with even a tiny percentage of another grape, the other wine dominates. When Chardonnay wines are made with care, they are bold, rich and complex with flavours of ripe figs, honey, butter, hazelnuts and spice. Chardonnay prefers to mature in oak and often takes on the flavour of the barrels during the aging process.

Chardonnay is best served cool (not chilled) with light meats like chicken and pork, a variety of seafood and fruity desserts.


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Chenin Blanc

This is a flavourful, sprightly wine famed for its high acid content and versatility in crafting a range of wine from white wines to sweet wines, sparkling varieties and brandy.

Cultivated in the Swan Valley and around the Peel regions, Chenin Blanc is popular among wine makers for its balancing qualities, neutral palate and vigorous disposition. Chenin Blanc has a beguiling fresh fruit character with hints of pears, peaches and fresh grapes. Chenin Blanc can be made in a full range of styles from dry and crisp to semi-sweet and fruity to full blown late-harvest dessert wines. You can detect honey, straw and even exotic scents like oil of Bergamot (think Earl Grey tea) in the best examples.

Generally, Chenin Blanc is perfect for outdoor fares like barbeques and picnics, and is especially delicious with char-grilled chicken, an array of seafood, ethnic food and fruit-based dessert dishes. As an apero, Chenin Blanc should be served on its own.


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Gewurztraminer

Gewurztraminer is a distinctive, naturally sweet wine with an intense spicy bouquet. Like Chenin Blanc, it is a versatile variety that will produce a range of wines, from dry and crisp to slightly sweet, honeyed dessert wines.

Cultivated from grapes tinged with pink and sometimes red, Gewurztraminer produces a yellow-gold wine instantly recognisable on the nose. It is a forceful wine with a lot of character and can offer suggestions of pears, peaches, mango, flowers and nuts.

In the case of Australian Gewurztraminer, the warm climate intensifies its sweetness to such a degree that it overpowers the acidity and is therefore mostly used to sweeten other wine. The dry versions are refreshing complements to a wide variety of cheeses as well as poultry, pork, savoury quiches and Asian cuisine.


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Italian White

These are white wines originating in Italy and still being produced in the Italian style to emulate the original varietals and blends. The most popular Italian white wine is Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris as it is known in France). Most Italian white wine is best consumed young, although some examples like Verdicchio are exquisite when allowed to age.

Italy also produces a variety of Chardonnay lighter, leaner and crisper than that cultivated in other parts of the world. From the uncomplicated crispness of the inexpensive blends to the rich, full textures of pricier bottles, most Italian whites are well-paired with Italian foods, light, simple dishes like roasted chicken, uncomplicated seafood combinations and green salads.


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Marsanne

A wine with distinctive aromas and relatively high alcohol content, Marsanne was originally cultivated in the Rhone region of France. Today it is becoming increasingly popular as the blending grape of choice in the region.

Marsanne gives way to a darkly coloured wine, sometimes brittle and nutty, sometimes spicy and fruity. Australian examples lean towards certain sweetness reminiscent of melons. This wine pairs a high alcohol level with low acidity, which accounts for its popularity as a blending grape and makes stand-alone Marsanne interesting when consumed young. However, Marsanne is not averse to oak aging. This can add new dimensions to an otherwise bland wine, blending the tones of the wood with the natural flavours to result in a smooth, almost sweet wine.

On its own or as part of a blend, Marsanne is exceptional when served with grilled red meat, cheeses like Monbier as well as simply prepared chicken.


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Muscat

Muscat wines are famously perfumed, redolent of musk, orange peel and ripe table grapes. Muscat makes some of the best sweet wines, both light fizzy ones and heavy sugary ones, as well as fully dry table wines. Muscat boasts a long and interesting history and although it? a fussy grape that struggles to flourish, it does well in the north-eastern regions of Victoria.

Muscat grapes come in many forms, from white through to deep red, but all the variations share the intense, easily recognisable aromas typical of the grape type. It? strong and deeply perfumed, typically sugary and used as a sweetener in most European wines, especially those produced in Italy.

It? wonderful with warm desserts like mince pie, fruit cake and flamb?d fruit. Since it? a generally sweet wine, Muscat also goes especially well with desserts that aren? overly sweet, like coffee cake.


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Other White Wine

The beauty of wine-making is not just about creating a perfect standalone variety, but also about crafting the perfect blend. Balancing the flavours of one with the acidity of another is a refined art and can yield the most divine results. Aside from the famous varieties that everyone has heard of, there are many fine blends and grape varieties to be discovered.

Whether it is Chardonnay blended with Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier or Chenin Blanc, enjoying a blend that? new to you is rediscovering the wonder of wine. Some of the best wines in the world are the lesser-known ones. We are dedicated to seeking these out and bringing them to your attention.


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Pinot Blanc

This grape is the mutated cousin of the Pinot Gris grape and produces wines high in acidity and tannin but lacking in the way of a distinctive aroma. These qualities make it a key blending grape to add character and backbone without interfering with the aromas of the other wine, or wines, making up the blend.

Pinot Blanc's claim to fame is its lightness in colour, texture, body and character. However, its high acid and tannin levels make it a prime candidate not only for blending but also for aging - not longer than five years - to mellow the brash tannins and inspire flavour elements from the barrels to round out the character.

On its own, Pinot Blanc is to be served young and chilled with mildly flavoured poultry and fish dishes, as well as savoury food like quiches and mature cheeses.

 

Pinot Grigio

"Pinot Grigio" means "Pinot Gris" in Italian. For a description of this grape, see "Pinot Gris" below.


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Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris is a darkly coloured white wine grape that is believed to have evolved from the Pinot Noir. "Gris" is the French word for "grey" and derives from the grape's blue-grey tinge. Pinot Gris flourishes in the wine-producing regions of Victoria. Here the dryer versions bear the label "Pinot Grigio" the (Italian) name for the Pinot Gris wines cultivated in the Italian style.

Pinot Gris wines can range from light and delicate to fairly full-bodied. It can also be rather subtle in both flavour and aroma, though the best examples bring forth aromas of almonds, minerals and peaches. It is an incredibly smooth wine with fruity tones, often reminiscent of melons and pears. Pinot Gris colour is anything but grey, leaning instead towards coppery yellow and sometimes even a pale pink.

Pinot Gris varieties are delicious when accompanied with seafood, lightweight pasta dishes and a variety of cheeses.


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Riesling

This wine from Germany's Rhine region combines fruity, aromatic flavours with high acidity to make a variety of white wines ranging from dry and semi-sweet to sweet and sparkling. Riesling grapes need cooler climates to produce both refreshing light-bodied wines and full-bodied table wines.

The best Rieslings are light, fruity and delicious when enjoyed chilled on a hot day. Riesling wines produced in Australia's New South Wales and Eden Valley regions have a citrusy flavour when young, much like the Muscat produced there. Although rarely aged, Riesling takes on a smooth silky texture after some time, balancing the orange flavours evenly with the acidity.

The low alcohol content and high acidity of Riesling is brilliant when paired with rich foods like fois gras, matured cheeses, smoked salmon, trout and shellfish.


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Sake

Sake is a Japanese beverage fermented from rice, and although it is made in the same way as beer, it is closer to wine in form and character. It is not a distilled beverage and boasts an alcohol level of between 15% and 17%.

Sake is best consumed as fresh as possible and can be served warm, hot or cold depending on the drinker's preference. Premium sake is free from additives and preservatives. There are about 65 varieties of rice designated as sake rice, and naturally some are more prized than others.

Sake can also be flavoured with fruit additives (lime, Asian pear, etc.) for varying degrees of sweetness. Sake is excellent served with Japanese cuisine based around fish with mild sauces. Anything with strong, overbearing hot and spicy flavours should be avoided.

 

Sauvignon Blanc

Crisp, high in acidity and light- to medium-bodied, Sauvignon Blanc is recognisable for its grassy flavour and aroma. When grown in warmer climates the flavours are fruitier. Originally planted in southern France, Sauvignon Blanc flourishes in Adelaide Hills and along the Margaret River.

Although known to be a crisp, herbaceous wine, the flavour of Sauvignon Blanc wines ranges from dry and fresh to sweet and fruity. The style and flavour of Sauvignon Blanc is also influenced by the method used to cultivate it.

Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with Semillon to add character and complexity, serving to tame the bigger wine's brashness in the same way a Merlot would a Shiraz. Sauvignon Blanc is best served chilled and is the perfect accompaniment for seafood, a variety of cheeses, especially goat's cheese, and beef dishes like cottage pie or Carpaccio.


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Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Blending these two grape varieties is combining the white equivalents of Shiraz and Merlot. Sauvignon Blanc is grassy and acidic by nature, and the Semillon in this blend mellows the sharp edges with the smooth fruitiness for which it is revered.

Semillon has become one of the favourite white blending grapes among Bordeaux-style wine-makers and is noted for its stabilising influence in white blends. Usually the grapes are fermented separately to develop the separate flavours and then blended. Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is a pale wine with hints of green and brilliant served as an aperitif. Chill a few bottles as an accompaniment for turkey, barbequed meat and a variety of seafood.


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Semillon

Semillon is one of the unheralded whites in the world of wine. Cultivated in Australia for close to 200 years, it has proven itself to be a favourite among wine-makers because of its hardiness and resistance to the elements. The most successful Semillon vineyards are found in the Hunter and Barossa valleys.

Semillon forms the base for most white Bordeaux blends because of its thick texture and low alcohol content. It is particularly successful in sweet wines, so much so that the most expensive sweet wine in the world, Chateau d'Yquem is made almost completely of Semillon.

On its own, Semillon is a rather weighty wine, yellow-gold in colour, full of character but notably lacking in the way of distinctive aromas. For a low-acid wine, Semillon takes to bottle age surprisingly well. This wine is excellent when paired with mild, soft cheeses, pasta dishes prepared with cheese sauce, shellfish and leafy salads.


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Semillon Chardonnay

If Sauvignon Blanc is the white Shiraz, Chardonnay is the white Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay is voluble in some areas and rather muted in others, but when paired with the grown-up Semillon, the resulting wine is considerably rounder and certainly far friendlier.

Chardonnay and Semillon grapes are harvested and processed to nurture the flavours of each, and then they're blended to produce a fresh, evenly balanced wine with satisfying and complex character. Chardonnay Semillon is most popular as a surprisingly versatile table wine, pairing well with pasta prepared in creamy sauces as well as rare steak and uncomplicated chicken dishes.


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Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Blending these two grape varieties is combining the white equivalents of Shiraz and Merlot. Sauvignon Blanc is grassy and acidic by nature, and the Semillon in this blend mellows the sharp edges with the smooth fruitiness for which it is revered.

Semillon has become one of the favourite white blending grapes among Bordeaux-style wine-makers and is noted for its stabilising influence in white blends. Usually the grapes are fermented separately to develop the separate flavours and then blended. Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is a pale wine with hints of green and brilliant served as an aperitif. Chill a few bottles as an accompaniment for turkey, barbequed meat and a variety of seafood.


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Traminer

Traminer is the to the umbrella family of white grapes from which Gewurztraminer is a descendant. It is also said to be the ancestor of other popular grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Riesling. Traminer has tangled history involving possible Italian and German roots. Nevertheless, today it flourishes successfully in Australia's southern wine-producing regions.

Wines produced from Traminer stock tend to showcase different characteristics depending on the conditions in which the grapes are grown. Warmer climates give way to a meek wine low in acid with something of an oily texture. In cooler areas the wines emerge deeply coloured, spicy and fruity with higher levels of acid and alcohol. Almost all Traminers are best enjoyed quite young.

Traminer wines should be served with strong flavours like those of Indian and Mexican food, as well smoked meats and fish and some Thai-inspired dishes.


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Verdelho

This grape variety has the reputation of being the most widely planted grape in its native Portugal. As a prerequisite for wearing the Verdelho label, at least 80% of the wine must be Verdelho.

Production methods for Verdelho differ from winemaker to winemaker, and so the flavours and textures of these wines are varied and interesting. Generally, Verdelho is a fruity wine with a naturally high level of acidity that can be consumed young or after a short stint of aging. Young Verdelhos are crisp and light, and those grown in warmer climates are redolent with hints of tropical fruit. Older Verdelhos are somewhat mellower but retain the wine's natural fruitiness.

As for pairing with food, Verdelho wines are well-matched with chicken, simple roasts and salads.


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Verdelho Semillon

This blend brings together the pride of Portugal with one of France's most popular blending grapes. Semillon is an excellent base for fruity wines, lending its oily textures, colour and capacity for aging to the impressionable Verdelho.

These two grape varieties make an interesting pairing. The ambiguous crispness of the Verdelho neatly balances the sweet acidity of the Semillon. The combination yields a bright, cheerful wine full of fruity flavours with a hint of lime contributing a little sharpness to the aftertaste. Overall, it is a soft, easy-drinking wine, perfect on its own or when paired with seared white meat or leafy salads.


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Viognier

This noble white varietal has a unique set of flavours and the kind of texture that easily matches the most full-bodied Chardonnay. Notes of anise, tangerine and fig blend with spicy aromas. Some Viogniers can be demure and others quite brawny.

The region of origin is also an important factor to the varying styles, with warmer regions producing riper wines and cooler areas retaining more acidity and precision. True of almost all, however, is that they are best when consumed fairly young. Some varieties are fermented in stainless steel tank to produce a precise, aromatic, wine rich with the peach and apricot notes typical of the grape. Wood fermentation enhances the wine's complexities with the essence of the barrels serving to complement its natural flavours.

Viognier is an excellent partner for poultry dishes, Thai and Indian cuisine, soft fish and roasted, seasoned vegetables.


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White Bordeaux

White wines originating from Bordeaux, or made in the Bordeaux-style in other parts of the world, are comprised mainly of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadel grapes.

White Bordeaux wines started life as uncomplicated table wines to be consumed before the fuller, more serious red Bordeaux wines, but now they're enjoyed as some of most refined in the world. They're complex, herbaceous wines with fruity aromas and a reasonable level of acidity. Sauvignon Blanc lends its acidic crispness to Bordeaux blends, Semillon brings its rich textures and Muscadel contributes fruity flavours and aromas.

With age, white Bordeaux blends take on a rounder, fuller character with the flavours mellowing to give way to nuttier, more wooded wines.

 

White Burgundy

White Burgundy wines are cultivated in the Burgundy (or Bourgogne) region of France, one of the country's best known wine-producing regions. Almost all white Burgundy wines are produced from the Chardonnay grape. Lesser white Burgundy wines are produced from the Aligote grape, another variety grown in the region.

Like the red wines cultivated in the region, white Burgundy wines are classified according to location: Grand Cru being the highest class and Village being the lowest. White Burgundies generally have high natural acidity that acts as a preservative during the aging process. Burgundies will become darker in colour with age, picking up nutty, biscuity components in addition to the tropical fruit and vanilla apparent in Chardonnays worldwide.


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