2WineSnobs

Description

Sauvignon Blanc is usually light, fresh, and crisp, with high acidity, though it can be either sweet or dry depending on the vinification process. Sauvignon Blanc grown in cooler climates tends to be appley, while those grown in warmer areas are more citrusy. The wine also has herbal, grassy flavors, and can sometimes have mineral undertones. If the wine has been aged in oak, it will also have hints of oak and vanilla. Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon, which balances the taste and improves structure.

Aging

Sauvignon Blanc is often aged for a short while in oak casks, but should not be aged in the bottle. Should be drunk young. In contrast, wines made from blends of Sauvignon and Sémillon can be aged for 30+ years.

Regon

Sauvignon Blanc is grown and produced in California, Australia, South America, Australia, Italy, and France. The best 100% pure varietals are produced in France’s Loire Valley, particularly in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.

Food Pairings

Pairs well with a variety of foods, from mild cheeses to vegetables, to mild meats, and Asian cuisines.

Description

Riesling tends to be fine and light-bodied, with acidity just short of sharp. Depending on the winemaker’s choices during vinification, Riesling can be sweet or dry. Riesling can have hints of apple, melon, honey, and a nip of spice.

Aging

Riesling can be drunk young, or aged for anywhere from a decade to 50 years, depending on the variety.

Regon

Riesling is produced in Australia, Austria, Germany, France, and the U.S. The preeminent Riesling is produced in Germany, though Johannisberg Riesling from California is quite good as well.

Food Pairings

Riesling pairs well with a wide variety of foods, from seafood to wild game and fruit to Asian cuisine.

Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) is a mutated relative of the red Pinot Noir grape.

Description

Pinot Gris wines are usually full-bodied and rich, and soft in acidity. The best Pinot Gris is dry, though some varieties are sweet. The flavors of Pinot Gris can be quite different depending on the vinification process chosen by the winemaker. It can be okay, with hints of vanilla and smoke, or it could have hints of citrus, pine, and floral.

Aging

The highest quality dry Pinot Gris can be aged for up to a decade. Other Pinot Gris should be drunk young.

Regon

Pinot Gris is grown in Germany, Northeastern Italy, Austria, Oregon, and California. The best Pinot Gris is produced in Alsace, France, though the other regions are improving.

Food Pairings

Pairs well with creamy, spicy, curried, and smoked dishes.

Description

The Chardonnay grape makes the most popular white wines and sparkling wines in the world. Chardonnay is grown all over the world, with major differences in taste and quality.

Chardonnay tends to be fruity, though depending where the grapes were grown the fruitiness can range from apples to more tropical fruits. Traditionally, Chardonnay has been dry, but recently winemakers have been making sweeter varieties. Most Chardonnays are oaky, the result of aging in oak barrels. The exception to the use of oak in aging Chardonnay is Chablis, which has no oaky flavor.

Aging

Chardonnay is usually aged in oak caskets, rather than in the bottle. The best Chardonnay will improve for up to ten years of aging in the bottle, but aging less expensive Chardonnay can actually make the wine worse.

Regon

Chardonnay is grown worldwide, including Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and South Africa. But the best Chardonnay is grown and produced in the French regions of Burgundy and Chablis.

Food Pairings

Pairs well with fish, poultry, or dishes with cream sauces.

I read the article “Secrets to Becoming a Wine Connoisseur” this morning and wanted to pass along this good information to my readers here.  While I try to present a fairly high level overview of winemaking and the different types of wine, this article delves a little deeper into some of the key characteristics of wine.