We all first look at the grape variety when purchasing white wines. It sets the foundation and the flavours.
White wine tastes vary greatly beyond their boldness, so it is helpful to categorize them further.
- Herbaceous: Wines with predominant “green” or herb notes, such as Gruner Veltliner and Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, etc.
- Sweet and Aromatic: Wines that contain higher levels of monoterpenes (the smells similar to roses) and have sweet aromas like Gewurztraminer or Muscat Blanc, Moschofilero etc.
- Neutral Wines that have neutral “apple-citrus”, like flavours, don’t fit into any other category, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Gris, Semillon.
When we look at the white wine list based on their flavour profiles, we can see varietal differences based upon how they were made. Here is where things get complicated.
Ageing in Oak (Neutral and Other)
Two major effects of oak ageing on wine are: It increases oxygen exposure, and new oak gives it flavours. However, many white wines aged in the oak end with similar vanilla flavours.
Fermenting Oak
White wine is more affected by oak fermentation. The winery ferments in neutral barrels (as in old) more often than not. These barrels do not impart oak flavours but allow oxygen through.
If fermented in oak, for example, the floral aromas of Gewurztraminer might be reduced significantly.
Malolactic Fermentation
While malolactic fermentation, or MLF, is often a result of white wines aged in oak barrels, it’s not the same thing. This is what gives white wines their creamy, oily and buttery mouthfeel. You’re familiar with Paso Robles’ creamy Viognier.
MLF is not a fermentation, but an acid conversion by this adorable microbe, Oenococcus Omni.
Ageing on the “Lees”.
These are the tiny yeast bits that sink to the bottom. This is the wine version. The winemaker inserts a tool that looks like a golf club into the barrel of wine and then stirs the lees. They can add creaminess and oiliness to wine’s texture and be described as “beer-like”.
Contact with the Skin
White wines (like Vermentino) are shown in the video. After being macerated, the skins need to rest for a few days before being squeezed. White grape skins are rich in polyphenols ( astringency, tannins, etc.), making them taste green, herbaceous and bitter.
Despite the negative association’s bitterness has had with food (little children not eating their greens), bitterness found in white grape skins can add texture and interest to white wine. However, skin contact can be a complex taste for everyone.
Use “Native” yeasts.
White wines can be made interesting by wild yeasts. There are many theories as to why this may be.
- Aromatic compounds are formed when other yeasts or microbes compete for dominance in the first 4 degrees (upto 4% ABV).
- Wines fermenting with native yeasts take longer. The fermentation time will have an impact on the taste.
- Native yeasts can change the pH level, making wines “smoother”.
There’s More To White Wine Than Meets The Eye
White wines appear more straightforward than red wines on the surface. They are certainly more subtle. But underneath the blond hue is a lot.