Varietal: White Vinifera Grapes
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular white wines worldwide. Where it’s grown has a big influence on the resulting wine, but the winemaker also has a say in the final outcome based on the techniques used in the winery.
Pinot Grigio: The Underrated Superstar
Pinot Grigio is often an introductory white wine for consumers — light, refreshing, though unremarkable. That doesn’t have to be the case, though! Learn from winemakers across the world how they craft Pinot Grigio that will rival any white wine’s complexity.
Making Riesling Wines: Tips from the Pros
Get some pointers on working with the stylistically diverse Riesling grape, a cool-climate loving noble variety.
Vermentino
With its home along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, this white grape is starting to find its way to the U.S. for good reason. Learn about the history, viticultural tips, and winemaking styles of Vermentino grapes.
Verdant Verdejo
Spain’s fifth most planted white wine grape, Verdejo, enjoys warm climates while being able to retain some acidity. Learn the merits of this grape from the Iberian Peninsula and how to make the best wines with it.
Malvasia Bianca: A Greek grape that has gotten around
A grape of Mediterranean origins, Malvasia grapes spread throughout the region under the umbrella name. Get the scoop on this unusual family of grapes and the variety brought to North America under the title Malvasia Bianca.
Sauvignon Blanc: Old World to New
Sauvignon Blanc wines came to fame in France’s Loire region, but they have also achieved success in New Zealand, the U.S., and elsewhere. Four winemakers from these top Sauvignon Blanc-producing regions share their techniques that result in wines of varying character and flavors.
The Illustrious Chardonnay: Fine-tuning the classic
The king of the white wines, Chardonnay can be expressed in a wide array of styles. Chik Brenneman takes readers on a journey through this grape’s story and tips to creating his favorite version of wine from Chardonnay grapes.
Melon De Bourgogne: Or Muscadet or just plain Melon
More commonly associated by the wine it produces, Melon de Bourgogne is the grape varietal behind Muscadet wines and the sur lie aging technique. But its mystique doesn’t stop there. Learn more about this old grape varietal known by many names.
Grenache Blanc: Some lessons from the Old World
Grenache Blanc is a grape from the northwestern region of Spain and, as the name implies, has evolved from Grenache Noir. Chik Brenneman provides instructions on making this grape shine, starting in the vineyard and taking it through to bottle.
Albariño
Albariño is Spain’s most famous white grape, best known from the country’s northwestern most department, Galicia, particularly the Rias Baixas (pronounced “Rias Bye-shas”) Denominación de Origen (D.O.). The jury is out on
Rosy Roussanne: A grape that doesn’t mind a little heat
In its homeland in the south of France, Roussanne grapes love some heat . . . probably one reason that it’s found a new home in the Texas Hill Country. Learn about this white grape that can stand up to being a varietal wine when conditions are right or blended with others.
Get groovy with Grüner Veltliner
Towards the end of the fall 2018 harvest I was looking for a little respite in my calendar, and I came across an appointment scheduled for a Friday night in late November
Riesling Revisited
Riesling is one of the noble grapes of Germany and can produce a wide array of complex white wines. Learn some of the key elements and techniques that winemakers can utilize when crafting wine from these grapes.
Stable Sémillon
Sémillon is a grape variety that is used to produce some of the great white wines of Bordeaux. Learn about what makes this grape so versatile and one that breaks the conception that white wine should be consumed young.
Trebbiano Family Tree
Grape descriptors and the region of origin were often used in the Old World in the naming of a grape. In the case of the Trebbiano family of grapes, this was indeed the case. Unfortunately what they didn’t quite know is the family is much more diverse than just a few varietals.
Making Chardonnay
White wine Case Study Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular wine grapes, as evidenced by widespread plantings in France, Australia, South Africa, South America and the United States. The grape
Verdelho: More than Madeira
Verdelho is the most widely planted grape on the Portuguese island of Madeira.
Colombard: Crisp and versatile
Despite its innocuous character, Colombard is a good choice for home winemakers, as it is easy to work with and allows for a wide scope of techniques and styles.
Sauvignon Blanc: The ‘wild white”
Sauvignon Blanc originated in the Loire Valley of France, and people started cultivating it as a wine grape starting sometime in the 19th century.
Riesling: German nobility
To this day, I consider that Riesling vintage one of the best wines I ever made, and I wish I could find a bottle or two in my cellar to taste what I had predicted to be a very graceful aging wine.
Versatile Viognier
It was not long ago that Viognier was almost an extinct grape varietal. Luckily for wine fans, both grape growers and winemakers have learned some tricks to unlock this grape’s true potential.
Chenin Blanc: The taste of terroir
Viticulturists in the Loire Valley tend to describe its flavor as an expression of the terroir of the land.
Making Riesling Roundtable
Ask any wine expert and they will tell you — Riesling deserves its day in the sun. Long touted as one of the most food-friendly wines available, it’s versatility in the winery
Growing Riesling Grapes: Tips from the Pros
If you live in a place with cooler weather and want to grow a versatile vinifera varietal, Riesling might be your best bet. Think Germany and Austria when you think of a