For many, “wine talk” is akin to learning a foreign language – there are so many new terms, expressions, and tastes to keep track of. What’s even more challenging is that most of them aren’t even English words to begin with!
Every aspiring sommelier has to start their “wine dictionary” somewhere. And perhaps there’s no better place to begin than with the grapes themselves.
Earlier this month, we explained the most common red wine grapes and the wine they produce – today, we’ll be doing the same thing, but for the most common white wine grapes, instead.
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Keen to experiment with white wine? Eager to avoid embarrassing yourself at your next party or function?
While reading up on the different types of white wine grapes and the wines they produce can help, one way to enhance your learning experience (and importantly, find out which types you prefer over others!) is to try.
And thanks to our huge selection of white wine and wine sale, you can do it all from the comfort of your home!
Our online wine shop stocks a huge variety of white wines, made from all sorts of white wine grapes. Combine that with nationwide delivery, and buying white wine has never been easier!
What are the four popular types of white wine?
Introducing the essential white wine grapes
While there are thousands of grapes out there, thankfully most white wines are made of a handful of common white wine grapes.
Unlike red wine, it’s important to remember that white wine is generally more affected by how ripe the grapes are when they’re harvested, with grapes that are harvested early generating more citrusy flavours.
Once you’re familiar with these common white wine grapes and the types of wine they produce, you’ll be well on your way to holding your own in any wine-related conversation!
1. What white wine is the most popular? Chardonnay
- Other names: N/A
- Dryness: dry
- Body: medium
- Tannins: low/none
- Acidity: medium
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most recognised (and most widely-sold) varieties of white wine, thanks to the Chardonnay grape.
In addition to being one of the most popular white wines of choice, it is also the world’s most widely-grown white wine grapes, being produced in hot and cool wine growing regions throughout the world. There’s a wide variety of different Chardies out there, from affordable $12 blends to million-dollar bottles of Champagne.
Flavours run the gamut from citrusy (less ripe) to pineapple (ripe), with hints of apple thrown into the mix.
With Chardonnay, you’ll want to pay attention to whether or not it’s oaked.
Typically, oaked Chardies tend to be richer than unoaked varieties, absorbing vanilla, caramel and even butter from the oak barrel.
2. Fresh, pungent, and acidic: discover Sauvignon Blanc
- Other names: Fume Blanc, Muskat-Silvaner
- Dryness: dry
- Body: light-medium
- Tannins: low/none
- Acidity: high
One of the most acidic varieties of white wine out there, Sav Blanc is another staple of most wine menus, with Sauvignon Blanc grapes grown throughout the world’s vineyards.
Sauvignon Blanc comes in a variety of styles, ranging from light-bodied “standard” Sav Blanc, to sparkling wines, to dessert wine varieties.
Depending on how ripe the Sauvignon Blanc grapes are when harvested, you may enjoy a variety of different flavours when you crack open a bottle of Sav Blanc.
Flavours run from citrusy with less-ripe grapes, to peach-dominant for riper grapes, with honeydew and grapefruit in the middle.
Regardless of flavour, the vast majority of Sav Blancs run on the dry side of the spectrum, with many made bone dry.
3. Enjoy round and subtle aromas with a gorgeous Riesling
- Other names: Rheinriesling, Johannisberger
- Dryness: moderately-dry
- Body: light
- Tannins: low/none
- Acidity: high
This German grape variety is used to create dry, semi-sweet white wines, and is often found in sparkling wine. Wines made from Riesling are usually varietally “pure”, and very rarely oaked.
Unlike other white wines, Riesling has a unique flavour profile.
Just like other whites, unripe grapes produce more citrusy wine, with riper grapes lending themselves to fruitier flavours like pineapple and apricot.
However, Riesling also contains some interesting other aromas, such as honey, beeswax, and ginger.
4. What is the best white wine to start with? Pinot Gris
- Other names: Pinot Grigio, Ruländer
- Dryness: moderately-dry
- Body: light-medium
- Tannins: low/none
- Acidity: moderately-high
Don’t let this grape’s colour fool you: while they may present with a reddish tinge, the wine produced by Pinot Grigio grapes fall unambiguously into the white wine category.
It’s commonly believed that Pinot Gris grapes (Pinot Grigio in Italian) are descended from pinot Noir grapes (if so, that would certainly explain their unique grey-purple colour!)
While the resulting wine might be more dark yellow than white, it’s still a white wine.
As such, it produces wines with fruitier flavours that get stronger the more ripe the grapes are when harvested, with flavours including green apples and nectarines.
Pinot Gris is a fantastic white wine for beginners, as it is light-bodied and easy-drinking.
Do you like wine? So do we!
In fact, we love it so much that we actually went ahead and created one of Australia’s biggest online wine stores!
Here at I Like Wine, we believe that nothing quite beats the taste of a good glass of white wine.
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Our aim is to provide customers with exceptional quality wine at the best prices possible; when shopping with us, you can rest assured that no matter which bottle you choose, it’s sure to be delicious and brings that unmistakable sense of sophistication to your table.
So why not come explore our vast selection today? Whatever your favourite tipple may be, you’ll find your perfect pairing at I Like Wine online wine sales.
Buy wine online in Australia in 5 simple steps:
- Explore our wine shop Melbourne wine catalogue
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- Great choice! Now, proceed to checkout
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Get started on your wine journey today – explore the catalogue and buy wine online now!
