Know Your White Grapes

The grape variety used is the most important factor in determining the taste of a wine. The grape is a fruit or crop like any other, and crops come from different regions for a reason. Bananas come from the Tropics, apples from the northern U.S., and figs from the Mediterranean. Wine grapes also come from various regions and countries. To help you identify grape varieties, here is a list of the major white grapes and their characteristics.

Chardonnay

The Chardonnay grape variety is a classic white wine grape and grown all around the world. It typically smells like apples, lemons, peaches, and tropical fruits. The berries are relatively small, thin-skinned, fragile, and oxidize easily. This makes chardonnay somewhat more sensitive to winemaking techniques and more difficult to handle from harvest to bottling than most other grape types.

Chardonnay also ages well in the bottle, though it will not age as long as many red wines. With its relatively high acids, full-bodied nature and incredible versatility, Chardonnay can be enjoyed alone or with a wide variety of flavorful dishes.

Chenin Blanc

The grape varietals of Chenin Blanc are most often used in the production of white wine, originating in the Loire region of France. The grape is also grown in the United States, South Africa, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. However, it seems to be one of the world's most underrated grapes. Most often, it is blended to produce domestic Chablis, California sparkling wines, and cheaper jug wines.

Gewurztraminer

The one grape that most wine lovers would immediately flag in a blind tasting is Gewurztraminer, because it is so distinctive. Alsace is its home and it produces some rich tapestry of fruity, floral, and spicy tastes. Its texture can be characterized as rich and smooth. Like the Riesling, it can be harvested late to produce classy wines. But be really careful when matching Gewurztraminer with food. It's an exciting stand alone wine, but not a high-odds proposition at your table.

Muscat

Muscat is a tasty grape and one of the oldest varieties in the world. It is known as Muscato in Italy and Moscatel in Spain. It is the grape used to produce Asti Spumante, the sweet sparkling wine from Italy. It is grown in Alsace, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Tunisia, and the Mediterranean Islands.

Pinot Gris

Whether you like your white wine bone dry and neutral or rich and spicy, the right Pinot Gris is out there somewhere for you. When made in Italy, Pinot Gris does not have a great deal of varietal character. But, move over to France and you can see why wine-lovers rave about Pinot Gris. In the vineyards of France, Pinot Gris is a different creature altogether. It's a much heavier, riper, more explosive wine. The U.S. has some success with lighter, crisper, and spicy versions.

Pinot Blanc

The innocuous Pinot Blanc grape is a genetic mutation of Pinot Gris, which in turn, a mutation of Pinot Noir. Plantings are extensive in Italy, where the grape is known as Pinot Bianco and often interspersed with Chardonnay vines. At its best, it makes creamy, floral, apple fragrance wine. Pair it with pasta dishes, seafood, shellfish and chicken.

Riesling

Its homeland is Germany, where it has been cultivated since the 1400s. It has a strong personality being highly acidic, yet very adaptable. But it is not a grape that everyone takes an instant liking to. One of the most recognizable features in a Riesling is its styles ranging from dry to richly sweet. Young Riesling wines can smell like peaches, mint, lime, and honey but as they age they begin taking on gasoline like tones.

Sauvignon Blanc

This white grape produces wines that are popular around the world, sometimes known simply as "Sauvignon". It is responsible for many of France's great white wines. One of Sauvignon Blanc's greatest qualities is its incredible adaptability in the vineyard. Sauvignon Blanc has distinct and recognizable characteristics. Aroma and flavor descriptors include flavors of grass, gooseberries and asparagus. Young wines may have green tinge and aged wines can present deep yellow and golden.

Viognier

The Viognier grape is native to the Rhone Valley but is now being developed in France, US, Australia and even South America. It is well known to be a challenge to grow, requiring a cooler to develop the intense and concentrated flavors and fragrances it bears. On the palate, it is well rounded and mellow, despite its high acidity and alcohol content. Viognier should be drunk young and fresh. Try it with sautèed fish such as salmon, tuna, swordfish, and mackerel.

WineDefintions Staff Writer