Wine, Beer and Spirits Part 2b White Grape Varietals Grape Varietals was divided into Part 2a Red Grape Varietals and Part 2b White Grape Varietals to assist the reader.
Wine has been my passion since 1965. I needed to understand wine and how we humans find enjoyment from such an ancient food. Yes, I said food. Wine is usually considered a beverage, but it also is a food. While attending the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, I had the great opportunity and honor of working at Bern's Steak House. A friend who was trying to get a job there told me about the restaurant and the opportunity. I got another friend, who had a car to take me to fill out an application. The manager told me that they were not hiring but they would keep my application on file. This was on a Tuesday. By Friday I had forgotten all about the application and the job. When I returned home from classes, my friend tells me that I had a call from a restaurant and I need to call them. I call and wait for someone to find the manager. I was concerned because I was calling from a pay phone and I did not know if I had enough change to feed the phone box. Suddenly, the manager is on the line and saying they still did not need waiters but would I be interested in busing tables. Sure, I can do that (I needed a job if I planned to continue college). "Fine." the voice at the other end of the phone line said. "Be there at 5:30 wear black pants and a white shirt." I called another friend who took me to a clothing store where I got my outfit, put it on at the store and my friend rushed me over to the restaurant. I got there with 8 minutes to spare. Don the manager met me, gave me a little black bow tie (I still have it), and took me into a dinning room called the "Burgundy" where I met Hodges, a senior waiter, who would tell what I needed to do. At the end of the night, Don tells me they had decided not to use busboys, but would I be interested in working on the farm and in the office. "Sure, I can do that." I would live on the farm, bring in the produce and work in the office. I got a place to stay, a vehicle to drive and a job I enjoyed.
Later, I found out that I had done such a poor job that to this day I do not believe Bern's Steak House uses busboys; at least the whole time I was there and thirty years later.
Now the "Burgundy" room had wine bottles in bins that could be seen through glass windows. These wine bottles peaked my curiosity and the wine bottles and what is in them still drives my passion of wine.
Understanding grape wine varietals is just one way to understand the complexity of wine. We now continue the discussion of grape varietals. Here only ten of the white grape varietals will be discussed. These are in my opinion ten of the most recognized and appreciated white grape varietals world wide.
Chardonnay (shar-dohn-nay) This is the white grape varietal that makes Burgundies like Chablis, Montrachet, Meursault and Macon Blanc some of the most recognized wines in the world. Chardonnay can be pale yellow, green to yellow to golden. The more golden the richer the mineral flavor of pineapple, tropical fruit or melon. This varietal can produce a steel-like dryness with a long finish and pleasant acidity. Chardonnay lends itself well to oak contact giving an appley, nutty, and vanilla finish with a smokey, fruity bouquet. The best recognized vineyards are found in the Burgundy region of France and popular varietals in California, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa and Russia.
Chenin Blanc (shen-neen BLAHNK) A chameleon varietal that changes its style depending on soil and growing region. Chenin Blanc can be made into sparkling wine, blended into many table wines and used as a raw material for spirits. It can be watery to full bodied. This varietal can be berry-like, peaches, melon or waxy, lemony, to ripe pear in aroma. This is a thirst quenching afternoon lunch or sipping wine with a pale green to lemon yellow coloring. Chenin Blanc comes in both dry and sweet types of wines. The white wines of Vouvray, Anjou and Saumur in the Loire Valley of France are products of the Chenin Blanc. Also grown in the United States, Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Gewurztraminer (gah-VERTZ-trah-mee-ner) A "spicy" pale, to medium yellow, to golden grape varietal it can range from dry to off-dry to a very sweet dessert wine. Tends to have lower acidity than Riesling, but often has some residual sugar. The Gewurztraminer is one of the oldes grape varietals known. Alsace France sets the standard here, but this vine can be found in Tremino Italy (originated here around 1000 AD), Formentin in Romania and Hungary as well as in Germany, Austria, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.
Muscat (moos-kaht) Mostly a sweet, rich dessert wine that can be still or sparkling. This light greenish yellow to golden touches is foral, light, lean and not complex varietal can have an acidic, dry, musky flavor. The Muscadets of Loire Valley in France are the better known wines of this varietal. Also known as Moscatel it too is one of the oldest varietals with over 200 derivatives. The Muscat is also produce in Alsace , Germany and California with success.
Pinot Blanc (Pee-noh BLAHNK) This varietal is a dry crisp wine for the dinner table with pale yellow/green to yellow color. Vivacious often tannic flavor can be dry to sweet with a flowery, fragrant aroma. A cousin to Pinot Gris and a mutation of Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc is grown in most major wine countries and adapts well to cooler climates. It is doing well in Germany and Italy.
Pinot Gris (PEE-noh gree) Pinot Gris is not very intense with a pleasant, distinctive, flowery aroma which can have a slight bitterness in the aftertaste, like almonds. This varietal has medium acid and good alcohol that tends to be dry to medium dry. The largest producer of this varietal is Germany. Can be found in France, Italy (known as Pinot Grigio), Hungary, Switzerland, Austria, Canada and the United States in Oregon where it is consider Oregon's best wine.
Riesling (REES-ing) This classic varietal that is light to medium in body is the grape that makes the very dry Alsation wines to the famous German dessert wines Berrenauslese and Trockenberrenauslese (these sweeter wines are some of the longest lived wines in the world). A crisp fruity acidic wine with green to yellow green color is not high in alcohol. I have seen it as low as 8% to a high of 12% in alcohol. The average alcohol level being 10% in most Riesling wines. This varietal does best in cooler climates and will take up the flavor of the slate or rock foundation where it is planted. The best of the best can be found along the Rivers of Rhine and Moselle. The Riesling is grown in almost every major wine land and it gains uniques regional character in places like norther California, Missouri, and Italy.
Sauvignon Blanc (SOH-veen-yown BLAHNK) This dry zesty, ready to drink varietal is having great success as a seller. Known as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume in France and Fume Blanc in the United States, Sauvigon Blanc is often a pungent, spicy, almost vegetative taste wine with clean, fruity aroma of black curtants and grassy bouquet. It can be quite coarse at times and quite acidic. The late-harvest of this varietal can be excellent with hints of peach and apricot. Sauvignon Blanc is part of the blend for Graves, Sauternes, and Barsac of Bordeaux region of France. This grape varietal is grown almost everywhere there are vines.
Semillon (say-mee-yoh) Light yellow to deep golden Semillon is soft, herbaceous, low acid with good alcohol and hints of tropical fruit and citrus aroma. This varietal is a major part of Graves and Sauternes in France; also known as Hunter River Riesling in Australia where it does very well. Selillon is the varietal used to make the great sweet Sauterns when the condition of Botrytis cinera or noble rot effects the grapes. Does well as a varietal in Washington State, Chile and South America, New Zeland, Hungary, and Romania.
Viognier (vee-own-YAY) Indigenous to France's Rhone river valley and now popular in California this grape varietal has a very small production of expensive wines. Pale to deep golden yellow and rich, peach-like aromas make this wine complex, crisp, full-bodied with good extracts. Late ripening and low yield Viognier is grown also in Italy, California, Colorado, Utah, and Virgina.
The basic concepts of grape varietals has been presented here to assist you in your adventure and exploration of wine, wine types and the tasting of wine. The way to learn about wine is not to read about it, but to enjoy the drinking of a great food product. Wine and the making of wines is an art to be studied and appreciated. Wine is to be tasted, savored and shared at all the important and enjoyable times in life. Enjoy the art, enjoy the health that wine brings to civilization.
