White wine derives its colouring from the grape varietlas, just as the skins of the grapes are responsible for the colouring in red wine. Using green, gold or yellow coloured grapes will determine whether the wine is gold, yellow, or straw-like in appearance.
Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Champagne is exclusively produced in the Champagne region of France and is the most famous of all the sparkling wines.
With a variety of types of white wine available, here is a brief reference guide:
Chardonnay:
An extremely popular wine in America, and is consistently becoming one of the most produced wines within the USA. Due to the ease of growth and low maintenance that the Chardonnay grape requires alongside the amount of differing climates in which it will thrive, Chardonnay is a rising in popularity globally, resulting in millions of available types and brands of Chardonnay ensures that it remains a fairly inexpensive, but highly enjoyable, wine.
Flavor Profile:
With flavours ranging from buttered, oak overtones, to fruit infusions such as citrus, melon, pear, and apple, can make for an interesting palate experience.
Food Pairing
Ideally suited to poultry dishes, seafood, pork and cream or butter based recipes. Adding to its versatility, an unoaked version of Chardonnay is very palatable with garlic, shellfish, curry, salads, and guacamole.
Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc grape is grown in the French Loire Valley, California, and South Africa. Ranging from sweet to dry, dependent on the time of harvest, with flavours of melon, lime, pear, and apple infused with honey and vanilla.
Food Pairing
Ideally paired with white meats, seafood, fish dishes such as sushi, spicy rice dishes, and salads.
Ideal with salads, spicy rice dishes, white meats, sushi and seafood.
Gewurztraminerition:
The Gewürztraminer grape is grown predominantly in Germany, France, USA, New Zealand, and Australia in regions that tend to be cooler to enable the concentrated flavour.
Flavor Profile:
Ranging from dry to sweet varieties, Gewurztraminer is best consumed soon after bottling with flavours inclusive of pumpkin, spice, apricot, pear, rose, and honey.
Food Pairings:
Gewurztraminer is well paired with zesty foods such as BBQ chicken wings or spicy Asian dishes. Aromas and flavours often include spice, mineral, rose, citrus, and pear.
Pinot Blanc:
Pinot Blanc is grown within the Alsace region of France, and tends to be medium-dry. It may also be of interest to acknowledge that oak is not involved in the maturation process.
Flavor Profile:
A light flavoured white wine with infusions of melon, pear, apricot, and citrus and occasionally smokey undertones combined with high acidity.
Food Pairings:
Ideal with light flavoured meats, light to medium sauces, mild cheeses, and seafood.
Pinot Gris:
Also known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, and Grauer Burgunder in Germany, it is a closely related to the Pinot Noir grape. Medium-full bodied white wine.
Flavour Profile:
Infused with pear, apple, melon, and apple makes this a highly palatable wine.
Food Pairings:
Acidic foods tend to bring out the best in a Pinot Gris such as roasted or sautéed poultry, pork, or a variety of nut dishes. To experience a more vibrant version of Pinot Grigio, wines produced from the Alto Adige region are ideal.
Riesling:
Originating in Germany’s Mosel and Rhein valleys, it has gained notoriety within the modern wine market. Spanning a broad range of styles it can range from being dry to sweet, as well as light to full-bodied.
Flavor Profile:
A highly aromatic wine with peach, pear, and apple, with an infusion of spice and honey. Rieslings have been noted to have hints of limestone and slate due to the rich minerality of their native soils.
Food Pairing:
Ideal with pork, poultry, shellfish, and desserts. Riesling is a very versatile wine.
Sauvignon Blanc:
Produced originally in the Loire Valley of France, Sauvignon Blanc has recently been taken to new heights by New Zealand growth in the Marlboro region with gooseberry and tropical fruit flavours. A dry white wine with noted herbaceous flavours. Available as a single varietal or blended with a mix of Semillon.
Flavor Profile:
A medium-bodied crisp wine with acidity, Sauvignon Blanc offers a variety of flavours. Herbal to vegetable mixed with flavours of grass, mineral tones, hay, tropical, and citrus.
Food Pairing:
An extremely versatile wine, Sauvignon Blanc is great with appetizers, Italian dishes, garlic infused recipes, sushi, Thai food, and poultry.