White Grape Varieties Attributes Flashcards
Neutral Whites Attributes
Moderate - light nose
Milder fruit
❖ Apple
❖ Pear
❖ Lemon
Often minerally
May be subtly floral ex. chamomile
May marry well with
❖ Oak aging
❖ Lees contact
May gain complexity with age
Aromatic White Attributes
Intense nose
Often very floral or herbal/vegetal
❖ Jasmine, honeysuckle, rose petal, orange blossom
❖ Green grass, green peppers, tarragon
Exotic and/or pungent fruit
❖ Lychee
❖ Grapefruit
❖ Guava
Generally does not combine well with oak
Losing dynamism with aging
Neutral Whites
Chardonnay
❖ Chenin Blanc
❖ Grüner Veltliner
❖ Muscadet
❖ Pinot Blanc
❖ Pinot Gris
❖ Semillon
Aromatic Whites
Albariño
❖ Gewurztraminer
❖ Muscat
❖ Riesling
❖ Sauvignon Blanc
❖ Torrontes
❖ Viognier
Chardonnay
Neutral white variety
Originated in Burgundy, now grown worldwide
❖ Most-planted white in the world
Prefers cool to moderate climates
❖ Loses definition and acidity, gains alcohol in warm/hot climates
❖ Depending on climate, ranges from medium body and alcohol with high acid to full body with high alcohol and medium acid
Benefits from time in wood barrels (even neutral)
Common winemaking treatments: lees contact, malolactic conversion
Can age well
Primary flavors: green/yellow apple, pear, pineapple, lemon, mineral (chalk, limestone)
Secondary flavors: lactic notes; baking spice, oak, vanilla, coconut, brown sugar
Chenin Blanc
Neutral white variety
❖ Native to Loire Valley, now grown widely, especially in South Africa and California
❖ Prefers moderate climates
❖ Medium to medium+ body with med+ to high acidity, and med alcohol
❖ Benefits from time in wood barrels (especially neutral)
❖ Common winemaking treatments: lees contact, malolactic conversion, oak aging
❖ Can age well
❖ Primary flavors: green/yellow apple, pear, underripe peach, straw, mineral, lanolin, honey
❖ Secondary flavors: lactic notes; baking spice, oak
❖ Dry, off-dry, dessert sweet, and sparkling wines are all common
Gruner Veltliner
Neutral white variety
❖ Grown almost exclusively in Austria, where it’s the #1 white variety
Tiny amounts elsewhere, especially California
❖ Prefers moderate to warm climates
❖ Medium+ to full body with medium+ to high acidity, and medium alcohol
❖ Rarely oaked
❖ Some can age
❖ Common winemaking treatments: lees contact
❖ Primary flavors: mineral, white pepper, arugula, apricot, and citrus
Pinot Gris
Neutral white variety
❖ A color mutation of Pinot Noir native to Burgundy, but very widely grown
❖ A noble variety in Alsace where top wines can age
❖ Most-grown white variety in Oregon
❖ Prefers cool to moderate climates
❖ Medium to medium+ body, acidity, and medium alcohol
❖ Russet skin color can create rosy color in wines
❖ Common winemaking treatments: rarely oaked, malolactic conversion usually prevented
❖ Primary flavors: pear, peach, apple, smoke
❖ Dry, off-dry, dessert sweet, sparkling, and skin-contact wines are common
Semillon
Neutral white variety
❖ Native to Bordeaux
Widely grown in Australia, most famously in Hunter Valley, declining in California
❖ Prefers moderate-to-warm climates
❖ Medium to full body, low to medium acidity, and medium+ to high alcohol
In Hunter Valley, light to medium body, high acidity, low alcohol
❖ Common winemaking treatments: rarely sees new oak except in Sauterne style, malolactic conversion usually
prevented, often blended with Sauvignon Blanc
❖ Primary flavors: pear, stone fruit, lemon, orange, tropical fruit, white flowers, dry grass, lanolin,
❖ Dry and dessert sweet wines are common
Albarino
Aromatic white variety
❖ Common to northwestern Spain and northern Portugal (Alvarinho)
Now popular in CA, Willamette Valley OR and, as of 2019, legal in white Bordeaux
❖ Prefers moderate climates with dry soils
❖ Med+ to full body with medium+ acidity
❖ Typically best when young
❖ Rarely oak aged
❖ Common winemaking treatments: occasional lees contact for added richness and complexity
❖ Primary flavors: fruity and floral
Peach, orange, grapefruit, orange peel, green apple
Orange blossom, acacia,
❖ Secondary flavors: leesy
Gewurztraminer
Aromatic white variety
❖ Perfumey
❖ A noble grape in Alsace
Also excellent in Alto Adige (Italy) and Anderson Valley (Mendocino
County)
❖ Prefers moderate to gently warm climates
❖ Med+ to full body, medium+ to high alcohol, low-to-medium acidity
❖ Pink skins can create rosy or coppery color in the wines
❖ Typically best when young, but sweet wines can age
❖ Winemaking techniques: no oak aging, malolactic conversion prevented
❖ Primary flavors: fruity and floral
Lychee, apricot
Rose petal
❖ Dry, off-dry, and dessert sweet wines are common
Muscat
Aromatic white variety
❖ A noble grape in Alsace, but widely grown around the world
Multiple Muscat varieties (Blanc a Petits Grains, Alexandria,
Ottonel, etc.
❖ Prefers moderate to hot climates
❖ Light to full body, low to high alcohol, low-to-medium acidity
❖ Typically best when young, but sweet and fortified wines can age
❖ Winemaking techniques: no oak aging, malolactic conversion prevented, very cold fermentation
❖ Primary flavors: fruity and floral
Peach, grapey
White flowers
❖ Dry, off-dry, dessert sweet, lightly sparkling, and fortified wines are common
Riesling
Aromatic white variety
❖ A noble grape in Alsace, #1 grape in Germany
Grown widely around the world, notably in Australia
❖ Cool-to-very warm climates
❖ Light to medium+ body, low to medium+ alcohol, medium+ to high acidity
❖ Can age decades
❖ Winemaking techniques: no aging in new oak, malolactic conversion prevented, cold fermentation, high sulfur
❖ Primary flavors: fruity, floral, and mineral
Lemon, lime, green apple, apricot
White flowers
Petrol (kerosene), rubber, slate
Baking spices when aged
❖ Dry, off-dry, dessert sweet, and sparkling wines are common
Sauvignon Blanc
Aromatic white variety
❖ Native to France’s Loire Valley, but widely grown around the world
Top white variety in New Zealand, especially prominent in
Bordeaux, northeastern Italy, Australia, California, Chile, and
South Africa
❖ Moderate-to-warm climates
❖ Light to medium+ body, low to medium+ alcohol, medium+ to high acidity
❖ Sweet wines can age
❖ Winemaking techniques: no aging in new oak (except for Sauterne-style), malolactic conversion prevented, cold fermentation, blending with Semillon
❖ Primary flavors: fruity, herbal/vegetal, and mineral
Lemon, lime, green apple, peach, pineapple, grapefruit, guava,
passionfruit, gooseberry, melon
Green grass, green pepper, jalapeño, peas, tomato leaf, green
herbs, asparagus, artichoke, lemongrass
Flint, smoke
Cat pee
❖ Dry and dessert sweet wines are common
Viognier
Aromatic white variety
❖ Native to France’s Northern Rhone
Also thrives in California, Virginia and Australia
❖ Moderate-to-warm climates
❖ Medium+ to full body, medium+ to high alcohol, low to medium- acidity
❖ Top wines aged in oak can age 5-10 years
❖ Winemaking techniques: aging new oak, malolactic conversion prevented, cold fermentation, blending with other Rhone whites, co-fermentation with Syrah
❖ Primary flavors: fruity, floral, spice
Stone fruits
Honeysuckle
Black pepper
Secondary: oak, baking spice
❖ Oily texture and can be slightly bitter on the finish
❖ Dry and off-dry wines are common
