Beginner’s Guide to White Wine
Grapes
Introduction
After the
vineyard site has been chosen, the starting point for any wine is the grape
variety selected by the winemaker. This alone is the most important factor
determining the character of the liquid swilling around in our glasses. To the
complete beginner the familiar names of Chardonnay or Shiraz may represent the
first tentative steps into the world of wine - but do you know what tastes and
aromas to expect from the bottle? Discovering your personal wine tastes and the
art of matching food & wine all depend on a basic knowledge of grape
varieties. A little background reading in this area should be the starting point
for all newcomers to wine, and will soon reap its rewards…
Varieties of vineThere are
20 or so different varieties of vine within the genus Vitis, but only one, Vitis
vinifera, is capable of producing decent wine with any regularity. Vitis
lambrusca is a wilder variety that is grown in some parts of the Eastern USA but
invariably produces disappointing wine. Vitis rupestris is a parent of many
commercially important rootstocks due to its resistance to Phylloxera – the
troublesome little bug that infests the roots of vines and decimated the French
vineyards in the 1860s and Australian vineyards in the 1880s.
There are about 5000 varieties of Vitis vinifera. We
are not going to describe them all – partly because we’re lazy but mainly
because only 60 or so of these varieties will produce wines with a recognisable
and enjoyable flavour. Of all of the factors that can influence the character of
a wine – such as soil type, viticulture, microclimate and time of grape picking
– the most easily detected is the variety of grape. This guide aims to introduce
you to some of the commoner grapes you are likely to encounter.
Common White Grape
Varieties
Chardonnay
This ubiquitous,
fashionable white grape is now found growing in almost every wine producing
country. However, this popularity can make it hard to define due to the myriad
variations in soil type, climate, clone and viticulture that influence the final
wines. Chardonnay is particularly user-friendly to the winemaker, growing almost
anywhere and able to be moulded into various styles ranging from classy
long-lived white Burgundy, to Champagne, to rich buttery Aussie whites. The
flavours associated with Chardonnay depend upon the winemaking. While there is
an enormous amount of non-descript peachy, oaky dry white made from the grape,
better examples taste of lemon, green apples and grapefruit in unoaked and
lightly oaked styles, through to melon, white peach and cashew nuts in
medium-bodied wines, and on to rich butter and toast in the barrel-fermented or
barrel-aged wines. Chardonnay may also be put through malolactic fermentation -
when harsh malic acid (think green apples) is converted to lactic acid - thus
giving the wine a more creamy finish. While many Chardonnay aficionados look to
Burgundy for their tipple, there are a number of producers in other countries
that arguably make wines of similar complexity at more reasonable prices. South
African stars include Vergelegen, Rustenberg, De Wetshof, Hamilton Russel, and
Bouchard Finlayson, while great Aussie wines are made by Leeuwin Estate,
Petaluma and Coldstream Hills, among numerous others.
Colombard
Widely grown in
California and South Africa (where it is also known as Colombar), the origins of
this grape stem from its’ distillation for the famous brandies of Cognac and
Armagnac in France. Its susceptibility to rot in France’s moderate climate led
to the decline in plantings for still wine production. However, the hot climates
of California and South Africa have welcomed the grape, where it produces plain,
crisp, dry whites. These are often blended with Chenin Blanc or
Chardonnay.
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc
is one of the mainstays of the Loire Valley in France, and is the most widely
planted variety in South Africa (where it is occasionally called Steen), with a
few wines hailing from California, Australia, and New Zealand. When made well,
Chenin Blanc wines can taste superb, but often they are unripe, flabby, or
over-sulphured. The grape has a naturally high acidity and thus lots of sun is
required to bring out the fruit flavours. Chenin Blanc is very versatile and can
be used to produce sparkling wines or dry, demi-sec and sweet still wines. The
latter wines from Vouvray, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume, Jasnières and Coteaux
du Layon in France’s Loire Valley, can have incredible sublime flavours of
beeswax, marzipan, honey, pralines and spice with a tremendous capacity to age.
South Africa also occasionally makes great long-lived sweet wines. In the New
World Chenin is often used to bulk up blended white wines, as it is often fairly
neutral, fruity stuff.
Gewürztraminer
One of the
most easily recognised grapes, both on the vine and in the glass. The grapes are
characteristically pink while the wines have an unmistakable aroma of flowers
and spice (in German Gewürz means spice), flavours of lychees, rosewater,
ginger, and cinnamon, and an oily mouthfeel. Good Gewürztraminer is so obvious
that people either love it or hate it. Unfortunately, most Gewürz is drunk as a
sweet blend with Riesling and, while this is a fabulously easy-drinking style,
it does not let the true nature of the grape shine through. The best examples,
from Alsace and Germany’s Pfalz region, are dry wines that combine the amazing
perfume with a complex spicy palate, and make perfect partners to Asian food. To
experience truly outstanding Gewürztraminer wines, try a late harvested
(vendange tardive) or botrytised example (sélection des grains nobles) from
Alsace, both of which are unctuously sweet. Outside these regions,
Gewürztraminer is also grown widely in Italy and Austria, with New World
plantings in California, Chile and New Zealand.
Grenache BlancThe white
grape sister of the red-skinned Grenache Noir. While originally a Spanish
variety (where it still play a role in north-eastern whites from Rioja, Navarre,
etc.) this grape is now most widely planted in France’s Rhône Valley (especially
as the most important grape in white Châteauneuf-du-Pape) and
Languedoc-Roussillon. Frequently blended with other southern French varietals
such as Marsanne and Viognier, the grape can produce good quality, fat, richly
flavoured wines.
Marsanne
Not one of the
most widely-seen varieties, but justifies inclusion due to its importance as a
key grape in the white wines of the Rhône Valley. It has a floral, herby, limey
flavour and is quite aromatic (again floral). In the Rhône, Marsanne is usually
blended with a host of other white grapes, as in the long-lived Hermitage wines,
or may even be blended with Syrah to give red wines a floral lift. Marsanne may
also be encountered as a varietal, especially from Aussie producers in the
Goulbourn Valley (Chateau Tahbilk or Mitchelton), and in this guise it can age
well to produce wines with intense honeysuckle aromas.
Muscat
The dead-giveaway
for wine made from grapes of the Muscat family is that they actually smell of
grapes. In those areas where Muscat is made into dry table wines - northeast
Italy, Southern France, and Alsace - flavours and aromas of grapes, apples and
mandarins may be encountered. Muscat grapes are also used to produce fizzy
styles of wine, as in Asti, Moscato d’Asti and Clairette de Vie. However, to my
mind, the most exciting Muscats are the sweet ones. There are two styles of
sweet Muscat - the unfortified, as in Moscatel de Valencia (Spain), and the many
fortified wines of Australia, the Rhône (notably Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise)
and Southern France. The Australian examples in particular can taste strongly of
raisins and Demerara sugar, while French vins doux naturels may have more barley
sugar and orange character.
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc
could perhaps be likened to a light, unoaked Chardonnay, without the upfront
fruit. If over-cropped it can produce very neutral, acid wines – a perfect base
for sparkling wines such as Crémant D’Alsace. However, good examples of still
Pinot Blanc wines from Alsace or Italy (where it is known as Pinot Bianco) are
attractively creamy, often with a nutty flavour. Germany also produces some
Pinot Blanc, known as Weissburgunder, but the majority of Californian Pinot
Blanc is actually Muscadet.
Pinot GrisThis grape is
also known as Tokay Pinot Gris, but bears no relation to the Tokay found
elsewhere in the world (Hungarian Tokaji being made from a variety of grapes,
while Australian Tokay is Muscadelle). In Italy, Pinot Gris (called Pinot
Grigio) is used to made light-bodied, fairly neutral wines that are good
partners for seafood. Alsace vignerons make an entirely different beast of a
wine - most is dry, full-bodied, aromatic, spicy stuff, while some is beautiful,
sweet late harvested (vendange tardive) or botrytised (sélection des grains
nobles) with a characteristic smoky smell. A number of wineries in Oregon,
Australia and New Zealand are experimenting with this variety.
Riesling
Without doubt the
king of white grapes, and one that best reflects terroir (the special vineyard
combination of soil, climate, aspect etc. that gives a wine its’ particular
character). Yet despite this it remains surprisingly unpopular on the world
market. The grape has a high acidity and is best without the influence of oak.
It can be grown in a wide variety of climatic conditions and is susceptible to
infection by Botrytis, thus leading to a huge variety of different styles. The
best examples hail from Germany, usually from the slate soils of the Mosel and
Rhine. These typically have a low alcohol (~8%) and very fresh taste of crunchy
green apples, lime, flint, and floral notes. The advanced honeyed fruit flavour
(and occasional petrol nose - not a fault!) of mature German Riesling is
deliciously memorable. New World examples from hot climates have noticeably
higher alcohol levels and much bolder fruit flavours of lime and passion fruit,
though easily become too fat. Australian examples often develop a very strong
kerosene nose after a few years in bottle - a trait not to everyone’s liking.
Irrespective of its origin, all Riesling should have a racy balanced acidity,
which confers good quality wines with substantial capacity to
age.
Sauvignon Blanc
If you like really fresh and clean
wine then you’ll love Sauvignon Blanc – the perfect antidote to fat, over-oaked
Chardonnay. The best Sauvignon Blanc is produced in cool areas, where the grapes
retain enough acidity to make great crisp, zingy whites. The two main
strongholds are the Loire Valley in France, and New Zealand (Hawkes Bay and
further north in the North Island and Wellington regions in the South Island).
Wines from North Island New Zealand tend to be richer, with more passionfruit
and gooseberry character whereas those from the South Island, particularly
Marlborough, are often ‘greener’, with blackcurrant leaf aromas and flavours of
green pepper and cut grass. The Loire wines, such as those of Sancerre and
Tourraine, are typically more subdued, displaying flavours of nettles and
asparagus, and often smelling quite strongly of cat’s pee on a gooseberry bush
(a classic description - just try to imagine it!) South Africa and Chile also
make some nice wines. While most Sauvignon Blanc is drunk as an unoaked
varietal, it may also be encountered as an oaked varietal or as a blend. The
oaked wines, such as Cloudy Bay’s Te Koko are slightly softer, with a smoky edge
and creaminess. Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with Sémillon and has become a
regional speciality for Margaret River in Western Australia. The grape may also
be blended with a range of other varieties, such as Chardonnay and Viognier, in
Southern France.
Sémillon
There are two main
homes for this variety. In Bordeaux it is used both for dry wines (often blended
with Sauvignon Blanc) and sweet botrytised Sauternes (blended with Sauvignon
Blanc and Muscadelle). Secondly, in Australia, where it is also used for dry
wines, both oaked (Barossa Valley) and unoaked (Hunter Valley), and for amazing
botrytised styles from Riverina. The thin skin of this grape makes it
particularly susceptible to Botrytis cinerea infection, making it the perfect
starting point for some of the world’s finest dessert wines. Good sweet Bordeaux
and Aussie Sémillons are bursting with flavours of candied peel, but many suffer
from being over-sulphured. The hallmark flavours of dry Sémillon are lemon,
beeswax and honey. The unoaked Australian wines of the Hunter Valley are
especially noteworthy, which, although taking between 10 and 20 years to
develop, can show incredibly complex flavours of toast, lanolin and honey -
almost tasting oaked.
Viognier
Pronounced
vee-yon-ee-ay, this grape is an absolute stunner. Originally hailing from the
tiny Northern Rhône appellations of Condrieu and Château Grillet, Viognier
produces rich, memorable wines bursting with musky peach blossom aromas and a
palate of apricots and spice. The vine is a poor yielder and difficult to grow.
This, coupled with demand for wines from these two appellations, makes for rare
and expensive wines. Luckily Viognier is rapidly becoming fashionable and is now
grown in a whole host of countries such as Australia, California, Chile and
South Africa. Unfortunately, a lot of these wines are pretty plain. To be
guaranteed a decent, affordable example, try Fairview from South Africa, Yalumba
from Australia, Chile’s Cono Sur, or Fetzer from California.
© James Warbrick-Smith & Edward
Fitzgerald
Looking out the car window into the September sunshine six
years seemed like a long time ago, but not much had changed.
The only property in the Gassac valley, the run-down little mas of the Daumas family, was not for
sale but the frail elderly sisters who occupied it could live there no longer.
With no family they were keen to move to nearby Aniane. Aimeé and Veroniqué fell
in love with and bought the tumble-down farm, helping the Daumas sisters
relocate to the local town. 
We’re met by Aimeé Guibert himself. As you could imagine from
someone who was so persistent in attracting the greatest wine talents to his
embryonic idea, he has a certain Gallic exuberance about him. He bounces down the stairs with his arms held
out to offer the warmest of welcomes. Eighty three years of age, acting like 43,
and not looking a year older than when I last met him. He has one of those
expressive faces, well lived in, though a sparkle in his eye that makes you
think we would still happily phone up any Professor anywhere for help if he
needed it. Only he doesn’t anymore. This year is his thirtieth vintage at Daumas
Gassac, and time has taught him well.
We wander out into the garden, which merges seamlessly with
their oldest vineyard, Peyra Fioc. Sitting under the trees the temperature is
cool, shaded from a still fierce September heat. Their dog, a local stray,
lollops over to join us, looking for attention. This is not a place of stresses;
this is a place in touch with nature.
Daumas Gassac wines now sell at a premium in
France, with a significant
auction market throughout Europe for the older
wines. Their red is a true vin de
garde, needing time to develop and express its cedary, leather and garrigue
notes that have made it so famous. For them ‘medium term ageing’ is 15 years,
with a great vintage easily reaching its thirtieth birthday in fine condition.
