Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wine Tasting

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White Wine Types - Varieties of Wine Wine

White Wine and Oak
White Wine and Oak
Photo © Velo Steve
There are many different types of white wine, each with their own characteristic flavors and aromas. Learning how these varieties of white wine differ, and how their flavors, aromas, and other characteristics work, will help you pick the best white wines for any situation. All grape juice is basically colorless and white wines are created either from white and yellow grapes or red grapes after the skins have been removed. White wines tend to be lighter, sweeter, and less alcoholic than red wines.



Chardonnay Wine Flavors & Aromas

Chardonnay wine grapes
Chardonnay wine grapes; Photo © notafish

Chardonnay is the most common and well known variety of white grape in wine production today. The most prominent flavor in Chardonnay wine comes from oak used in the wine production process. Other flavors and aromas include fruit, lemon, melon, grass, and vanilla. Some other characteristics of Chardonnay wines are high acidity, golden colors, and a velvety feel in the mouth.

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Chenin Blanc Wine Flavors & Aromas

Chenin Blanc wine grapes
Chenin Blanc wine grapes; Photo © chrisada
The Chenin Blanc grape variety originates in the Loire Valley of France. Also called Steen when grown in South Africa, Chenin Blanc grapes are used to produce wines of varying quality. Favors and aromas of Chenin Blanc wines include fruit, honey, quince, and grasses. Other characteristics of wines made from Chenin Blanc grapes include an oily texture, high acidity, and a deep gold coloring. The specific characteristics of Chenin Blanc wines depend heavily on where they are grown.

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Gewürztraminer Wine Flavors & Aromas

Gewürztraminer wine grapes
Gewürztraminer wine grapes
Photo © fleecetraveler
Gewürztraminer is German term which means 'spicy (or perfumed) grape from Traminer,' Gewürztraminer grapes are a cloned offshoot of the Traminer white grape, a variety that is uncommon today. Gewürztraminer flavors and aromas include spices, roses, passion fruit, and lychees. Other Gewürztraminer characteristics include high alcohol content and deep gold coloring. Although used to produce a white wine, Gewürztraminer grapes have pink or even red skins.

Gewürztraminer grapes grow best in cooler climates but they are susceptible to frost and need warm summers to ripen properly. Gewürztraminer grapes can also be difficult to grow if the soil isn't just right. Gewürztraminers produce more sugars than most white wine grapes and thus produce sweeter wines.

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Muscat Wine Flavors & Aromas

The Muscat is a popular grape variety grown widely in Italy for wines, raisins, and grapes for eating. Characterized by pungent floral aromas and sweet, spicy flavors, Muscat grapes are used in Italy to produce Asti, a sparkling wine, and many dessert wines (with the addition of extra alcohol). There are in fact many different types of Muscat grape grown, with colors ranging from white to almost black, and some speculate that it might be one of the earliest grape varieties to be domesticated.

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Pinot Grigio Wine Flavors & Aromas

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris wine grapes in Kaiserstuhl, Germany
Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris wine grapes in Kaiserstuhl, Germany; Photo © ndrwfgg
Pinot Grigio grape skins are usually greyish-blue and darker than those of other white wine grapes, giving the appearance more common to red grapes. These grapes are frequently called Pinot Gris — "Pinot" means pine cone and "gris" means "grey" in French. Pinot Grigio wines tend to have deeper colors than other white wines. Pinot Grigio flavors and aromas include fruit rinds, orange peel, and pear skins. Other Pinot Grigio characteristics include deep, dark colors and low acidity.

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Riesling Wine Flavors & Aromas

Riesling wine grapes at Bonair Winery
Riesling wine grapes at Bonair Winery; Photo © Bernt Rostad

Riesling grapes, which originate in Germany's Rhine region, have sweet fruity flavors and aromas of flowers and fruits. Other characteristics of wines made form Riesling grapes include high acidity and petrol notes if aged. The character of a Riesling wine depends heavily on where it is grown because Riesling grapes are very 'terroir expressive.' Rieslings cannot be oaked like Chardonnays and the oak flavor is part of what draws people to Chardonnay.

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Sauvignon Blanc Wine Flavors & Aromas

Sauvignon Blanc wine gapes
Sauvignon Blanc wine grapes; Photo © clockworknate
Sauvignon Blanc is a versatile white grape variety that create white wines ranging in flavor from grassy to mineraly to fruity. Other Sauvignon Blanc flavors and aromas include apples, melons, peppers, and smoke. Sauvignon Blanc tends to be more grassy when picked early, more fruity when picked late. Sauvignon Blanc flavors also depend heavily on where the grapes are grown. The most famous wines made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes come from Bordeaux and the Loire valley in France.

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Semillon Wine Flavors & Aromas

Semillon wine grapes
Semillon wine grapes; Photo © pixelish
Semillon is grown widely in France where it is commonly blended with Sauvignon Blanc — for example, in Sauternes dessert wines — and it is one of only three varieties that can be grown in Bordeaux, France. In California, Semillon grapes are often used to produce generic white wines; Semillon can also produce a good variety wine on its own, though it's not as popular as other white wine grapes. Semillon grows well in many different climates and used to be grown far more widely than it is today.

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