Chardonnay et al: The Most Famous White Wine Varieties
When it comes to wine, there is one specific reason drinkers prefer white vino over their scarlet counterparts: tannins. Red vino has more tannins, resulting in a dry sensation at the back of your tongue. It leaves a thin veneer of flavour, often accompanied by the unwanted feeling of thirst.
White vino does not have this problem and provides a more enjoyable drinking experience as its full flavours permeate the mouth without any feeling of dehydration. When buying this particular vino, here are the most famous wine varieties to stock in your cellar:
Chardonnay
There is a reason Chardonnay, a French concoction, is the most synonymous brand for white wine. It is the richest in flavour, capable of embodying various profiles such as tropical fruits, nuts, butter, spice, and vanilla, along with textures such as medium, gold, and velvety. Its versatility and quality of taste make this brand a white vino classic.
Torrontés
Moving to a South American locale, Torrontés is an aromatic white from Argentina becoming more and more popular. Its appeal lies in its citrus, flora, peach aroma and uniquely dry taste profile. Its tropical background makes this drink ideal for summertime or picnic meals. For starters, buy white wine from Crios de Susana Balbo.
The Pinots
Available in either Gris or Grigio, these white wines are made from the same grape but named differently from the countries that produce them: Gris is French; Grigio is Italian. The Pinots stand out for their fuller flavour, with a mouth-feel like a red minus the dehydrating feeling on the tongue. These wine varieties contain mineral and pear notes, perfect for seafood, poultry, and lighter meals.
Riesling
The beauty of Riesling lies in its finished product, which varies depending on the country it was grown in. This white wine is produced in cold climates where they spend more time on the vine, resulting in a crisp, dry flavour or a sweet aftertaste, with strong mineral, earth, petrol, and floral bouquets.
Riesling wine brands that are sweeter age exceptionally well due to their sugar content, even better than most red vinos. They also go well with oriental cuisine by offsetting its savoury profile with a full-bodied, fruity flavour. On the other hand, dry Rieslings pair best with spicy food, countering its fiery aftertaste.
Sauvignon Blanc
This brand of white wine is for those who prefer Chardonnay’s flavour profile without its rich texture. Grown in France’s Bordeaux and eastern Loire regions, Sauvignon Blancs are budget-friendly without sacrificing quality, containing a crisp tartness with hints of grass, herbs, and citrus. They are perfect with poultry and seafood dishes or on their own due to their refreshing taste!
Viognier
Another of the aromatic wine brands is the French Viognier (pronounced Vee-own-yay). What started as an additional ingredient to Shiraz turned into a standalone wine variant. Early drinkers added Viognier to Shiraz to add a sweeter profile since the former contains hints of tropical bananas and peaches.
It wasn’t long until they, and the rest of the world, picked up on this trend and started planting this grape to produce its wine!
A Viognier’s bouquet is ripe with tropical fruits and flowers, delightful to the smell and taste as a rich flavour accompanies it. This pairs well with more decadent, savoury meals like chicken breast in white sauce or baked fish with lemon cream sauce.
We hope this list of wine brands is of great assistance when you buy white wine. Aside from reading this article, do not be afraid to seek help from an oenophile to get more information on the right white wine for your party or occasion. They may offer more interesting tidbits on what pairs well with what.
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