Principal White Grape Varieties

Question 1

Chardonnay - Grape

Answer 1

Versatile: range of climates
Acidity: medium to high
Flavors/aromas (vary according to ripeness):
* Least ripe (cool climates): green fruit (apple/pear), citrus fruit (lemon) and wet stones
* Moderate climate: lemon, stone fruit (peach), and sometimes tropical fruit (melon)
* Most ripe (warm climate): stone fruit (peach) and tropical fruit (pineapple, banana)

Question 2

Chardonnay - Wine characteristics

Answer 2

• Dry
• Light- to full-bodied
• Used to make sparkling wines
• Very good or outstanding examples can age: hazelnut and mushroom (tertiary flavors)
• Range of winemaking techniques and common to taste secondary flavors from various winemaking processes
  1. Acidification = process of adding extra acid during winemaking to warm-climate Chardonnays to balance the alcohol and body of wine
  2. Malolactic conversion = adds dairy flavors (butter, cream) and softens harsh acids
  3. Lees contact = adds body and flavors of bread ad biscuit during maturation
  4. Oak = oak barrel fermentation and/or maturation adds body and flavors of smoke, vanilla, and coconut. Some may use oak staves to impart these flavors (less expensive).

Question 3

Chardonnay - Climate

Answer 3

Cool climate - high acidity, light- to medium-body
Moderate climate - medium to high acidity, medium- to full-body
Warm climate - medium acidity with full body

Question 4

Chardonnay - Regions

Answer 4

1. France: Bourgogne/Burgundy including Chablis (village appellation), Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet (Côte de Beaune), Macon and Pouilly-Fuisse (Mâconnais), and Languedoc-Roussillon (south of France - PGI)
2. USA: California (Sonoma, Napa Valley, Los Carneros, Santa Barbara County) and Oregon
3. Chile: Central Valley, Casablanca Valley
4. South Africa: Walker Bay (Western Cape)
5. Australia: Margaret River and South Eastern Australia (Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley)
6. New Zealand: Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough

Question 5

Sauvignon Blanc - Grape

Answer 5

Acidity: high
Aromatic variety
Flavors/aromas (vary by ripeness):
* Herbaceous (least ripe): green bell pepper, asparagus, grass
* Fruit:
1. Less ripe: green (apple, gooseberry), citrus (grapefruit)
2. More ripe: stone fruit (peach), tropical (passion fruit)
* Wet stones

Question 6

Sauvignon Blanc - Wine Characteristics

Answer 6

• Typically dry
• Light- to medium-bodied
• Typically unoaked (most commonly produced in inert vessels) as herbaceous aromas may be overwhelmed by new oak flavors
• Typically single varietal, but sometimes blended with Semillon
• Typically for early drinking (best consumed when young); even outstanding wines can lose their fresh aromas within a few years and develop unattractive vegetal notes

Question 7

Sauvignon Blanc - Climate

Answer 7

• Cool
• Moderate

Question 8

Sauvignon Blanc - Regions

Answer 8

1. France
Bourdeaux: Graves, Pessac-Leognan
Loire Valley: Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume, Touraine
South of France: Languedoc-Roussilon (PGI)
2. USA: Napa Valley
3. Chile: Central Valley, Casablanca Valley
4. South Africa: Elgin, Constantia (in Western Cape)
5. Australia: Margaret River, Adelaide Hills (SE Aus)

Question 9

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris - Grape

Answer 9

Pinot Grigio (Italy) / Pinot Gris (France)
Acidity:
* Pinot Grigio - medium to high
* Pinot Gris - medium

Sweetness
* Pinot Grigio - dry
* Pinot Gris - dry, off-dry, or medium (generally higher in sugar than Pinot Grigio)

Body
* Pinot Grigio - Light
* Pinot Gris - Full (more pronounced flavors)

Aroma/flavors
* Pinot Grigio - simple flavors of pear, lemon
* Pinot Gris - lemon, stone fruit (peach), tropical fruit (banana, mango)

Yield
* Pinot Grigio - High yields harvested early to retain acidity
* Pinot Gris - Controlled yields and delayed harvest

Question 10

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris - Wine Characteristics

Answer 10

• Two key styles produced
• Typically unoaked; fermented in inert vessels to preserve its flavors
  Pinot Grigio - always fermented to dryness
  Pinot Gris - fermentation sometimes interrupted by removing yeasts to retain an off-dry or medium level of sweetness
• Aging
  Pinot Grigio - best consumed fresh and young, as simple flavors fade within a short amount of time in bottle
  Pinot Gris - can develop notes of honey and ginger over time in bottle

Question 11

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris - Climate

Answer 11

• Cool - Pinot Grigio
• Moderate - Pinot Gris

Question 12

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris - Regions

Answer 12

1. Pinot Grigio (Italy) - Veneto region (PGI); more complex and fuller-bodied styles in Fruili-Venezia Giulia (PDO)
2. Pinot Gris (France) - Alsace (PDO)

Question 13

Riesling - Grape

Answer 13

• Acidity: high
• Susceptible to botrytis/noble rot
• Aromatic variety
• Flavors/aromas (vary according to ripeness):
  Just ripe: Green fruit (apple, pear), blossom, and citrus fruit (lemon/lime)
  Extra ripe: Stone fruit (peach, apricot), Tropical fruit (pineapple, mango), dried apricot

Question 14

Riesling - Wine Characteristics

Answer 14

• Many harvest options
  Late harvest - because Riesling retains acidity and builds up sugar and flavor slowly, it’s also suitable for late harvesting in regions where there are dry, sunny autumn conditions. This concentrates sugars and results in sweet wines.
• Dry to sweet
• Light- to full-bodied
• Unoaked; fermented in inert vessels (stainless steel) to preserve floral aromas
• Very good or outstanding examples can age: honey, petrol/gasoline

Question 15

Riesling - Climate

Answer 15

• Cool
• Moderate

Question 16

Riesling - Regions

Answer 16

PDOs
France: Alsace
Germany: Mosel, Rheingau, Pfalz

Australia: Clare Valley, Eden Valley