White Wine – What is it? How is it Made?

What is white wine?

The majority of white wines are created from white grapes. We say most since there’s a handful of exceptions. Wine actually gets its coloring from the skins as they soak in juice.

Given that this is the case, it’s possible to produce white wines from black grapes by careful extraction of the juice and keeping skins separated. The famous example of this is Champagne. It’s made from a grape blend that includes Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir (black grapes).

Apart from color, not letting the stems and skins soak into the juice reduces the amount of tannins in the wine also. There is a mouth drying quality to tannins that cause wines to feel firm with in the mouth Sometimes however, white wines are allowed to ferment (age) in oak-wood barrels. These oak barrels will release some tannin into the wine, but not so much as in the average red wine.

Rosés are White!?

Believe it or otherwise, a blush (another name for Rosé), is deemed as a white wine. They are produced by letting skins to soak for short periods only prior to extraction. A good quality rosé should be refreshing and delicate, but not cloyingly sweet.

Some of the finest rosés are produced from the Granche grape. Rosés have gotten a bad wrap as a result of some of the very cheap and sweet varieties in the marketplace. Do not let this stop you from discovering some which are genuinely delightful and worth savoring.

Prime White Wine Varieties:

Chardonnay – This is the most popular white wine in the world. It’s normally aged in oak and has a butter-like flavor.

Chenin Blanc – A common wine to the French Loire Valley. It’s very acidic and ranges from extremely dry to super sweet.

Gewürztraminer – This is the most aromatic of all white wines. The aromas are spice and floral.

Muscat – This variety of white wine is the only one that smells like grapes. It can have a number of styles and is popular as a sparkling wine.

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris – Features a wide range of styles from sweet to dry to spicy. Oftentimes they posses a hint of honey.

Reisling – A white wine low in alcohol content yet strikingly acidic. Most are extremely sweet, but some can be dry too. Clare Valley in southern Australia is renowned for its Reisling.

Sauvignon Blanc – Designed to be drunk young, these wines are the most pungent and tangy of the wines.