White Wine
Ever wondered why white wine is so called…………….when it really doesn’t even appear in any hues of white. As a matter of fact, white wine tilts more on the goldenish yellow color shadow. And the credit for this elegant and deeply rich color can be entirely presented to the varied assortment of grapes from which white wine is derived. White wine is, predominantly derived from grape juice and the skin of green, gold or yellowish colored grapes. Very seldomly, white wine is also derived from only the juice of a few selected red grapes that are used in the make of some Champagnes as well.
White wines can be appropriately teamed with light meals, not many course meals and even as a welcome drink or the most coveted appetizer. In striking contrast to red wine, white wine is tastefully light in style and as a beverage and a refreshingly summer spring drink in comparison to a majority of its red wine counterparts. As the old adage goes, ‘white wine and white meat go hand in hand’ still holds rightfully true even today, however there being a plenty of exceptions in terms of palate preferences and personal tastes. White wine glass styles emerge strikingly over the red wine glass styles as white wine is best presented in narrower glasses where the top tapers sharply thereby resulting in a better aroma concentration of the more delicate white wine kinds. White wines taste and last their best when stored at an optimum temperature of 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit. When we expand on the white wine kinds, they are most popularly heralded as ‘The Big Eight’ including white wine varietals like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Semillon, Vioginer and Chenin Blanc.
America’s no.1 best selling white wine, Chardonnay continues to consistently climb the rungs of the production ladder as the most accepted and consumed white wines in the U.S.A. the wines much adulated popularity can be latched onto the grape variety itself that goes into making this wine. Its vine is characterized by low maintenance that adapts considerable to seasonal changes thereby resulting in a reasonably high yield globally. Available in flavors ranging from an oak tinge to fresh fruit flavors like apple, pear, melon and citrus leaving a lasting palate impact. Another of the largely consumed white wines is Chenin Blanc made from a rich and versatile blend of grapes and raging successfully in South Africa and California. Ideally consumed with mild and spicy rice dishes and salads, white wines make your food taste highly sumptuous and delectable.