White wine

Today we’re going to take a look at some of the most common varieties of white wine. As most of you may or may not know already, wine typically comes in white, red, or sparkling varieties. Wine is often thought of as being synonymous with Western European culture and those countries found therein like France, Spain, and Italy. Wine has been a staple for cultures across the globe for centuries, millennia even! While red wine may be a little bit more popular as a dinner-table necessity, wines of the white variety are still very well received in particular occasions. Let’s begin with Chardonnay, shall we?

Chardonnay

Chardonnay originated in the Burgundy region of France, in Bourgogne. It’s a very popular type of wine because of its versatility and accessibility. It can be made sparkling or still, and can be paired with fish and or your favourite chicken dishes. Chardonnay is grown, fermented, and bottled in many places throughout the world, but most of the Chardonnay vines can be found in the United States, France, and Australia.

Sauvignon blanc

Sauvignon blanc originated in Atlantic France, coming from the Bordeaux region to be precise. Sauvignon blanc is a varietal wine which means that its grapes are typically blended with others; in this case, Sauvignon blanc is usually blended with the Semillon grape from the same region in Bordeaux. This type of wine goes great with seafood, chicken, or light salads. Sauvignon blanc is most popularly cultivated in places like France, Australia, and New Zealand.

Pinot grigio

Although Pinot grigio is typically cultivated in Venezia and the Alto Adige regions of Italy, it can be grown, fermented, and bottled in places like the United States, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, and Austria. Pinot grigio is an especially interesting type of white wine due to its versatile food pairing taste-profile. The state of Oregon in the United States as well as the Alsace region of France tend to produce a fruity, aromatic type of Pinot Gris that is very difficult to pair with food. The aromatic, perfume-like essence of Alsatian Pinot Gris is typically well suited for spicy Thai or Chinese cuisine. Make sure you are aware of the regional differences in naming this type of wine as it can be rebranded as Pinot Gris, malvoisie, Ruländer, and or Grauer Burgunder etc.

Riesling

Riesling is a classic German wine that traditionally comes from the Rhine in Germany. Other Riesling varietals are grown, fermented, and bottled in places like the Eastern United States, and the Alsace region of Europe. These latter two wines are typically much drier than their Rhine counterpart, which is much more aromatic and reminiscent of fruit. Some Rieslings pair great with spicy Japanese or Asiatic foods, while other, drier Rieslings tend to pair great with pork, poultry, or seafood dishes.