White Wine – The Basics And Types

A lot of people like white wine because it’s light and refreshing, and because you can drink it with so many different foods. It’s a relaxing drink you can have with friends and family, for quiet occasions for two, or during more formal occasions like dinner parties or weddings. It’s simply true, though, that white wine is popular everywhere. There are seven major types of white wine, and it helps to know the difference between them, even though they may be of different brand names. Knowing which type is which will give you some assistance when you want to select just the right white wine.

First among the white wines is Chardonnay. This is a very popular one, and was first truly noticed, such that it began to gain in popularity, in the 1990s. Today, it continues to be a favorite. It comes from France, and has a wider bodied or more velvety taste than red wines or other, drier wines. Its taste is citrus-based, and can include overtones of grapefruit or lemon.

Secondly, Sauvignon Blanc is also of French origins and a versatile wine perfect for seafood or salads. Taste characteristics include an herbal aftertaste with dominating sour apples, gooseberries, pears, and tropical fruits.

Semillon wine is wonderfully matched with fish dishes. This wine variety has a distinctive fig taste character. Semillon and Sauvignon make a delightful combination when mixed together.

Next, the Muscat wine is a non-food wine, meaning it is best all by itself and stands on its own. This is a typically fruity and sweet wine variety with a musk aroma. For many, this wine is too sweet, but others enjoy its sweetness, truly making it a matter of taste and preference.

Pinot Grigio comes from Italy, and can be paired with lots of different types of food. It’s a clean, crisp, fresh, versatile wine, with an intense aroma and fruity taste.

The Riesling variety of wine works well with pork, chicken, and fish. Originating from Germany it is slightly sweet and a light variety with a fresh taste. This wine gets better with age.

The last wine on our list, Gewurztraminer, also hails from Germany. It has a light taste perfect for sipping. Its flavor is fruit-based, coming from peaches or rose petals. Some think it’s not as refreshing as some types of white wine, but it truly has a unique flavor.

White wine is tremendously popular because of its lightness, and semi to sweet taste. Most people that begin drinking wine normally begin with the white varieties before venturing off to the dryer wines. Others stay with white wines simply because they are so versatile and pair well with many meals and occasions. Additionally, most white wines are served chilled rather than at room temperature as dryer red wine varieties. The coldness of the wine appeals to many people’s taste buds over the room temperature versions of dryer wines. White wines are typically refreshing, which makes the chilled go hand in hand with the refreshing characteristics.

Authored by Robin Saunders, a proficient writer that tackles different subjects including alcohol, DUI, alcohol tester etc. The author highly recommends Alcohawk, find out why it’s one of the best testers available today.