There are HUNDREDS of white wine grapes out there, which can be overwhelming when you’re trying to choose just one! Luckily, there are only a few major varieties that you’ll encounter most often. We partnered with Michelle Williams, the wine writer behind Rockin Red Blog, to summarize the major types of wine wines in the world. Chardonnay is unusual because of its versatility; it can be grown in cooler climates or warmer climates. Cool climate Chardonnay can result in notes of green apples, green pears, citrus, and vegetable notes such as cucumber; white stone fruit and melon may also be present in moderate climates; tropical fruit notes such as peach, banana, pineapple, mango, and even fig can be found in warmer climate Chardonnay. In addition to climate, the style of Chardonnay varies depending on three important factors determined by the winemaker: malolactic fermentation, time spent on the lees, and oak treatment; adding some level of buttery, nutty, coconut, and oak flavors the wine.

Flavors: Citrus, green apple, peach, banana, pineapple Chenin Blanc is a cool climate grape; medium body and high acidity; typical notes include citrus, green apple, lemon, pineapple, green leaf herbaceous notes, pineapple, honey, and white flowers; it can be found in dry, off-dry, and sweet styles. Flavors: Citrus, ripe apple, pear, white flowerspictures of wine roses Gewürztraminer is a widely aromatic, medium alcohol, low acid wine. top 5 wine producing states in usGewürztraminer is most notably distinguished by notes of lychee, additional flavors include roses, pineapple, grapefruit, gingerbread, and a sweet/syrupy fruit juice. best wine cooler dealsIt is frequently sweet but can be found in off-dry and dry styles as well. best wine deals in nz

A good Gewürztraminer will illustrate its vibrant nose but balance demonstrate balance on the palate between its sweetness and acidity. Flavors: Grapefruit, flowers, lychee These two white grapes are known as “sisters,” unsure which one actually came first. Born in Northern Rhône, these two grapes are often blended together for the biggest impact, together then craft full-body wines that are aromatic and elegant. best wine brand in londonThese two grapes are not overly fruity but deliver notes of nectarines, pears, white floral notes, white tea, dried herbs. glass of wine londonWhile Marsanne lacks acidity, Roussanne is a high acid grape, resulting in a well-balanced wine.dry red wine images Flavors: Nectarines, pears, white flowers, dried herbswhat is the best port wine

Moscato is a sweet, slightly effervescent wine crafted from the Muscat grape, actually there is not one Muscat grape; rather there is a wide range of this ancient variety indigenous to the Mediterranean. Typically Muscat is a medium acidity wine with inviting aromas of apricot, peach, orange, lemon, pineapple, caramel, and vibrant floral notes of honeysuckle, rose, and jasmine; best filter for wineit is a sweet wine crafted into three styles: sparkling, still, and dessert. Flavors: Apricot, oranges, tangerines These are two names for the same grape variety. However, Pinot Gris from Alsace, France is a full-body, dry to off-dry wine with vibrant notes of pineapple, melon, ginger, baking spices, honey and smoky; it is complex yet still crisp and refreshing. Pinot Grigio from Italy offers very little similarity to Pinot Gris from Alsace. Pinot Grigio is typically a dry, light to medium body wine with medium acidity;

it is almost neutral in aromas and flavors. Large producers have diluted the quality perception of Pinot Grigio, however if you buy from boutique wineries, it can be a lovely and complex white wine. Riesling is an aromatic white grape with high acidity; it is fruity and floral rather than herbaceous; in cool climates it offers notes of green apple, green pear, floral notes, and citrus (lemon, lime); in moderate climates citrus and stone fruit become dominant, along with notes of lime and white peach; Riesling ages well, notes of smoke and petrol develop over time. Flavors: Green apple, pear, citrus, stone fruit Sauvignon Blanc is an aromatic grape variety that typically displays strong aromas of green fruit, gooseberry, elderflower, green bell pepper, grapefruit, passion fruit, and asparagus; typically high in acidity, medium body, and almost always dry; requires a cool climate to showcase its herbaceous qualities but can tolerate a moderate climate. Flavors: Herb, green bell pepper, asparagus, grapefruit, passion fruit

Semillon is a dry white grape, light in body and alcohol but high in acidity. It offers delicate almost neutral citrus aromas in its youth, but well-aged its profile develops complex notes of toast, honey, and nut. Semillon is best known as commonly blended with Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux; blended, Semillon’s full-body adds depth and a richer mouth-feel to Sauvignon Blanc’s crisp and refreshing nature; the two combine to create both dry and sweet (Sauternes) wines in Bordeaux. Flavors: Melon, fig, light herb Viognier is a dry, full-body, low acidity, aromatic white grape, it typically expresses strong floral notes such as honeysuckle, along with peach, apricot, mango, musk, nutmeg, and lanolin; creamy in texture, due to its lack of acidity and sweet flavors many assume Viognier to be a sweet wine; however, it is dry. Flavors: Flowers, citrus, apricot, peach Get unlimited access to ALL our foolproof recipes, unbiased equipment reviews and ingredient ratings. Guaranteed to work for you.

Enter your email address How we use your email address When a recipe calls for "dry white wine," it's tempting to grab whatever open bottle is in the fridge, regardless of grape varietal. Are we doing our dishes a disservice? Sure, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio may taste different straight from the glass, but how much do those distinctive flavor profiles really come through once the wines get cooked down with other ingredients?To find out, we tried four different varietals and a supermarket "cooking wine" in five recipes: braised fennel, risotto, a basic pan sauce, a beurre blanc, and chicken chasseur. In our tests, only Sauvignon Blanc consistently boiled down to a "clean" yet sufficiently acidic flavor—one that played nicely with the rest of the ingredients. Differences between the wines were most dramatic in gently flavored dishes, such as the risotto and beurre blanc. In contrast, all five wines produced similar (and fine) results when used in chicken chasseur, no doubt because of all the other strong flavors in this dish.

But what's a cook without leftover Sauvignon Blanc to do? Is there a more convenient option than opening a fresh bottle? To find out, we ran the same cooking tests with sherry and vermouth, wines fortified with alcohol to increase their shelf life. Sherry was too distinct and didn't fare well in these tests, but vermouth was surprisingly good. In fact, its clean, bright flavor bested all but one of the drinking wines. And at $5 a bottle (for Gallo, our top-rated brand of vermouth), you can't argue with the price. OUR FAVORITE Sauvignon Blanc Crisp, clean, and bright, this wine was strong enough to share the spotlight with other ingredients but refused to steal the show.MORE THAN MARTINIS Dry Vermouth A pleasing sweet/tart balance made this fortified wine a close second. And, after being opened, it can sit on the shelf for months. INTO THE WOODS Chardonnay Most inexpensive Chardonnays are simply too oaky from barrel aging for most recipes. When cooked, "oaky" became bitter, not woody.