Contents[Hide]

White Wines Buying Guide

White wines  are made from the grape juice and grape skin of green, gold, or yellowish coloured grapes  (though some are made from just the juice of select red grapes  as well), giving each white varietal  its own distinct colour and flavour.  Read on to learn even more!

White Wine Etiquette

When to Drink White Wines

  • Lighter Meals: Whites are often consumed with lighter meals or as an aperitif themselves. Think lunch,  light dinners,  or appetisers!  And the age-old guideline of white wine  with white meat  still holds true, though there are certainly many exceptions to the rule.
  • Seasonal: Whites are much more refreshing and lighter in style and taste than many of their red  counterparts, making them ideal for warm weather occasions.

How to Drink White Wines

  • Glass Choice: White wines need a completely different glass  than reds. They prefer and are best presented in narrower glasses, as the sharper taper at the top of the glass allows for better aroma concentration of more delicate white wines. 
  • Serving Temperature: To get the most out of the flavour and aroma, white wines are best served around 7-10°C (45-50°F). Think about investing in a wine refrigerator  for the perfect glass, every time.

White Varieties

Here are some of the more well-known varietals of white wines, listed from lightest to most full-bodied.

Riesling

Riesling  is one of the wine world's new sweethearts, enjoying double-digit market growth and culinary affections worldwide. Its food pairing versatility and refreshing palate appeal are among the top reasons for this renewed love affair.  German Rieslings  are categorised based on their levels of dryness and the grape's ripeness level at harvest.  This system will let consumers know how dry  or sweet  the wine is.

  • Flavours: Riesling wines can be highly aromatic with apple, peach and pear at the forefront mixed with delicate floral undertones and often honey and spice on the nose. On the palate, Rieslings echo the apple, pear and peach along with citrus and tropical nuances. Rieslings tend to pick up a noticeable "minerality" from their native soils, explaining why hints of slate or limestone can be exhibited.
  • Food Pairings: When it comes to pairing Riesling with food, versatility is the name of the game. Rieslings may well be the most accommodating wine around for pairing with challenging flavours and spice profiles.

Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio  is a very light, crisp wine that is intended to be enjoyed early on.  This is the most popular wine of Italy, produced from the Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris  grape varietal.  As for colour, Pinot Grigio is typically a pale, straw-like yellow with some golden hues thrown in, and the texture of a Pinot Grigio is also worth noting, as it has very smooth, almost silk-like overtones that leave an impression on the palate.

  • Flavours: Pinot Grigio flavours can range from melon to pear, and some even offer a subtle tropical or citrus fruit; often there is a honey or smoky flavour component as well.
  • Food Pairings: Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with seafood,  light pastas  and cheese and cracker  combinations. Since this wine is fairly acidic itself, avoid pairing it with foods that have high acid contents, like citrus fruits or tomato-based recipes.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc  is usually a dry white wine with distinctive herbaceous qualities. This wine is widely available as a single varietal or as a blend.  Sauvignon Blanc originated in the Loire Valley of France.  However, New Zealand  has taken this grape to new heights in the cool Marlborough region, producing racy wines with tropical fruit and gooseberry flavours.

  • Flavours: Typically light to medium-bodied, this white wine has a crisp and refreshing taste in a variety of flavours. From herbal taste sensations to veggie, and from flavours of grass, hay and mineral tones to a citrus and tropical flavour mix, Sauvignon Blanc displays a very unique wine tasting adventure.
  • Food Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc is a very food-friendly wine, pairing well with just about anything. It is perfect for creamy appetisers,  poultry,  fish,  and much more.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc  is made from a versatile grape from France’s Loire Valley, also grown with much success in South Africa  and the U.S. This white wine can range from dry  to very sweet  depending on the time of harvest.

  • Flavours: Its tastes can vary from apple, melon, lime and pear with hints of vanilla and honey. The best Chenin Blanc offers high acidity combined with a touch of viscosity, leaving an oil-like feel in your mouth.
  • Food Pairings: Ideal food pairings for this wine are pretty basic. Salads,  mild to spicy rice  dishes, sushi,  seafood  and white meats  are all suited for Chenin Blanc.

Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer  may be one of the hardest wines to pronounce (ga-VERTZ-trah-mee-ner), yet one of the easiest to drink.   This white grape is grown predominantly in France, Germany, the U.S., or right here in Australia, where the climate leans to the cooler side and the flavours thus have the opportunity to concentrate.

  • Flavours: It can be made in both dry or sweet varieties. Flavour qualities include hints of honey, pumpkin, cinnamon, apricot, pear, and rose.
  • Food Pairings: These wines tend to pair well with Asian dishes  or zesty-flavoured fare like barbecue.  The flavour and aromas often include pear, citrus, spice and mineral.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay  is clearly the world's most popular white wine, and the Chardonnay grape  itself also contributes to the wine’s popularity.  It is a relatively low-maintenance vine that adapts well to a variety of climates, resulting in fairly high yields world-wide. These high yields translate into millions of bottles of Chardonnay wines!  As a result, you can buy a good bottle of Chardonnay for $8-15.

  • Flavour: Chardonnays boast an impressive range of flavours from the expected buttered, oak overtones to the fresh, fruit flavours of apple, pear, citrus and melon, leaving a lasting palate impression.

Related Guides

Use some of our other buying guides to discover all there is to know about wine!

Analysing Wine from A to Z

Wine Tasting

Wine Glasses

Food and Wine Pairing

Wine Storage

External Links