White Wines

Researchers have revealed that wine was most likely discovered between 4000 B.C. and 3000 B.C. in the Persian Gulf and Nile River area. Like many other human discoveries, the discovery of wine was most likely a happy accident.
 
Early Egyptians may have drunk white wines that were stomped and fermented in vats. Today, white wines are enjoyed with food or alone just for their tastes.
 

Why Wine is White
Unlike many people believe, wine color is not determined by the color of the grapes used. The skins of grapes are added to the wine fermentation process to give red wines their color. White wines are clear because skins are not used when fermenting them.

Types of White Wine Grapes: Varietals

White wines can be made from many types of grapes. If a wine made in the United States, New Zealand, Australia or South America consists at least 75 percent of a given grape, the wine can be labeled with the grape's name and is considered a varietal.
 
In other words, a California Chardonnay can only be labeled "Chardonnay" if at least 75 percent of the juice comes from Chardonnay grapes. Most European white wine standards are a little stricter, requiring 85 percent of the type of varietal grape to be used.
 
Below is a table of white wine varietals:
 

Wine

Grape

Flavor

Region

Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Butter, apple, pineapple, smoke, orange

France, California, Australia

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc

Honey, cantaloupe, grass

France, California, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand

Gerwürztraminer

Gewürztraminer

Honeysuckle, peach, spice

Italy, France, Germany

Marsanne

Marsanne

Citrus, almond

France, California, Australia

Rousanne

Roussanne

Wild flowers

France, Italy, Australia, California

Muscat

Muscat

Orange, coriander

France, Italy

Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris

Lemon, almond, pear, vanilla

Germany, France, Oregon, California

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc

Bell peppers, butter, grapefruit, grass, toast

France, California, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Washington, Chile

White Wine: Chablis

Chablis is a famous wine-producing region in the Burgundy area of France, well-known for growing Chardonnay grapes.
 
Chablis is also a semi-generic name for any type of dry white wine in the United States. This name is fading away as consumers become more familiar with varietals and become increasingly sophisticated in wine purchasing.

White Wine Food Pairings

When looking at wine and food-pairing suggestions, remember that these suggestions are not rules. Part of the fun of pairing wines and foods is in the experimenting. That being said, some suggestions for pairing white wines with foods include:
  • Asian food with Gewürzraminer
  • crab cakes with Pinot Gris
  • oysters with Sauvignon Blanc
  • shrimp with Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc
  • strong cheeses with Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
  • veal with Chardonnay.

Top White Wines

Like wine and food pairings, choosing your favorite white wines is a matter of personal taste. Some top-rated white wines include:

  • J. Bookwalter 2005 Riesling Columbia Valley, Washington: This balanced wine runs the fine line between dry and sweet with citrus, peach and pear attributes.

  • Louis Jadot 2004 Champ Gain Premier Cru Puligny-Montrachet, France: This white burgundy tastes of toast, spice, vanilla and white fruits.

  • Robert Mondavi 2004 Fume Blanc Napa Valley, California: This wine is very dry, with lemon and gooseberry flavors.

  • Sauvignon Republic Cellars 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley, California: This Sauvignon Blanc is a complex combination of just the right amount of acidity with ripe fruit flavors and a hint of herbs.