Page 84 - Indulgence

Primary Varietal WHITE Grapes and Their Common Flavor Characteristics

There are hundreds if not thousands, but if you familiarize yourself with these 7 white varieties,

you will build a good foundation of general wine knowledge. Listed from sweetest to driest.

Muscat: (muss-cat) An ancient vine variety. With such strong perfumes attractive to bees, the

name “Musca,” is Latin for “flies”, also attracted to the scented grapes. The wines can range
from refreshingly low alcohol in the sweet and frothy Asti Spumante to exceedingly dry
versions in Alsace, France. Flavors include tropical fruit and honeyed melon with vanilla and

cream in the finish.
Riesling: (Rees-ling) German origin. Germans know Riesling as a late budder, late ripener with
generous yields. Rieslings can be very sweet with a suggestion of flowers, honey or spice.
California has “Gray”, “Emerald” and “Johannisberg” Rieslings that reflect modified clones of

the original grape. With floral aromas, flavors include ripe apple, apricot and melon and can
finish lightly sweet or dry.

Gewurztraminer: (Ga-vertz-trameener), Italian origin. The prefix “gewurz” means “spice” in
German, but the aroma is closer to tropical fruits or highly perfumed flowers. It leafs early,
potentially suffering from spring frosts. Ripening occurs in early mid-season, harvested just
before Riesling. Flavors include apple, apricot and melon with a spicy fruit component that

has a unique compatibility with Asian foods.
Viognier: (vee-yon-yeah) Originally from the Rhone Valley of France, the grape’s natural acidity
levels are low, a factor that simply means that the wines are best enjoyed fairly soon after

bottling. Viognier wines have become so popular since they positively explode with ripe,
exotic fruit and floral aromas and flavors such as peach, mango, papaya, honeysuckle and
cream.
Pinot Gris/Grigio: (Peeno-gree/gree-geo) Same genetic vine, the French & Americans call it

“Pinot Gris,” the Italians. “Pinot Grigio.” It is much more widely planted in Italy & Germany
than in France or the United states. Aromas & flavors range from green apples, tropical fruits
and melons with a refreshing acidity & usually a lightly dry finish. California & Oregon produce

excellent examples.
Chardonnay: (Shar-do-nay) Easy to grow, its early budding leaves it prone to spring frosts. It
ripens early, just after Pinot Noir, before autumn rains can initiate rot. It has good resistance

to cold weather, responds extremely well to oak aging, and consistently produces high sugars
and alcohol. Flavors range from apples to melons, tropical fruits, buttery, steely and nutty.
Sauvignon Blanc: (So-veen-yon-blanc) The grape produces wines that are very aromatic, with

the nose of green, unripe fruit. These are wines for early consumption with the majority past
their prime within a few years of harvest. In the mid 1960’s, Robert Mondavi matured
Sauvignon Blanc in oak and renamed it “Fume Blanc.” Flavors include tropical fruit with

grapefruit and pineapple and a dry, citrus finish.