White wine types and products

Have a look at the white wines below and follow the links provided to see our selection.

Cabernet Franc - A relative of Cabernet Sauvignon but is usually used in blends.

Chardonnay - This is the most popular white grape variety. The wine produced is usualy aged in oak barrels and has a buttery flavor.

Chenin Blanc - This primarily French grape is used in the production of wine that is a highly acidic and can range from very dry to very sweet.

Colombard - This grape produces a crisp, every day wine with tropical fruit aromas.

Garganega - This grape is the main ingredient in the well know Soave wines. This wine is fresh and tangy and likened to green apples.

Gewurztraminer - The most intensely aromatic of all wines. The aromas are of florals and spice.

Muller Thurgau - An earlier ripening grape, popular in cooler climates with shorter seasons.

Muscat - Produces the only wine to actually smell of grapes. This wine can have a variety of styles and is popular in sparkling wines.

Pinot Blanc - Highly acidic and low sugar levels resulting in a dry, crisp wine.

Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio - A very wide variety of styles are used in producing wine that varies between dry, sweet, spicy and often with a hint of honey.

Reisling - This grape produces a low alcholic wine with sharp acidity. Depending on the fermentation process it can be either sweet or dry.

Sauvignon Blanc - These grapes produce a wine which is both pungent and tangy.

Torrontes - The popular white grape from Argentina. It produces a highly aromatic wine.

Trebbiano - A very mild grape producing a neutral wine that won't interfere with most foods.

Verdelho - This grape is transformed into a rich, white wine with the taste of limes.

Viognier - A low acid wine with floral aromas and an apricot quality. It is so richly aromatic that even though it is dry, it seems sweet.

What is a white wine ?
A white wine is a wine that is commonly believed to be made from the green grapes, however all grape varieties are used including red and black grapes. This is done by seperating the skins from the grape juice prior to the start of the fermentation process.
What makes a white wine into a dry white wine or a sweet white wine?
By allowing the fermentation process to continue for longer, more of the natural sugars in the grape juice are converted into alcohol and therefore the sugars are 'used up' and result in a dry wine. The converse will result in a sweet white wine as residual sugars add the sweetness. There are obviously variations in the length of process that result in the semi white wine.
How do white wines get their different flavours?
There is such a vast array of factors that effect the flavour of the wine and some of which are :-
a) The particular grape variety used. This in itself can be modified by adding blends into the equation whereby a particular wine could be made from more than one variety of grape. However, to carry the grape varieties name on its label it has to contain a certain percentage of that varieties ingredients. On average this is around 75% but does vary per type. This is mostly due to some varieties being harder to grow than others and therefore needs bulking up to produce that particular white wine in viable quantities.
b) Growth influences - These include the natural elements to the particular season ie climate, rainfall, soil type, sunshine and length of season and this can and will vary from year to year and country to country and this can have great influence on both the yeild and flavour of white wine.
c) Cellar influences - These range from the length of time in the fermentation process, the storage medium and temperature. Commonly we know that oak barrels will add to the flavour and sometimes this is a negative impact to that particular variety. The temperature at which the wine is fermented has a role in the process
d) Time of picking. This impacts on the amount of sugars produced in the grape ie the longer the grape is left to ripen, the more sugars are produced and therefore this can result in sweeter or higher alcohol content and in some instances a loss of flavour.
From the above we can see that this gives a vast array of possibilities thet makes the exploration of white wine into an annual, worldwide challenge for both the vintners and the end consumers.
Current grape varieties used in white wine production.
This list is definately not exhaustive but will contain names that you are familier with. Follow the links to find out more about the variety and the white wines currently available from our online retailers that contain this particular grape varient.