Wine simple: White wine varieties
John Barker
 John Barker is an Auckland lawyer, writer and scholar who is currently researching a doctoral thesis entitled "Regulating Wine: the geographies of law in a globalising wine industry". In this regular column he'll be going through some of the basics of wine - tasting, cellaring, wine terms - all those things that can be a little mysterious to the uninitiated.
Variety Show
Wine grapes are an exceptionally diverse bunch (excuse the pun). Each variety has its own preferences, characteristics and favourites spots. This column profiles some of the most popular grape varieties.
Chardonnay
The international superstar of the wine world. Quality and style vary wildly according to origin and production methods - from the mouthwatering fine dryness of a Chablis to the lusty largeness of an old school Aussie. In the glass it ranges from green-tinged pale straw to deep yellow in colour. A bewildering assortment of scents and flavours are associated with chardonnay. At the fruit end of the spectrum, peach, pineapple, nectarine, lemon, apple, quince and more. More elusive characters that evoke stones, minerals, oatmeal, nuts or straw. Butter and toffee from malolactic fermentation. Smoky, savoury, toasty or vanilla characters from oak handling. It can reach great heights given suitable growing conditions and skilful (and not too obtrusive) winemaking. It plumbs the depths with the profoundly dull, caricatured versions that proliferate on supermarket shelves.
Chenin Blanc
The underappreciated chenin blanc produces exceptional wines in the vineyards of the France’s middle Loire. In most other countries it is treated as a workhorse, although a handful of local producers turn out worthy versions. Good chenin blanc combines a steely core of acidity with distinctive scents and flavours of pineapple, lime, honey, wet straw, liquorice, lanolin and minerals. It varies from bone dry (and bracingly acidic) to lusciously sweet, and the finest examples will keep for decades.
Gewurztraminer
An instantly recognisable and flamboyant variety. Gewurztraminer is generally deep in colour - often with a faint coppery hue imparted by its pink skin. Its pungent aromas are frequently described as “spicy”. Think ginger and cloves rather than chilli. Floral and fruity descriptors can be more apt. Roses, lavender, orange blossom, lychees, pineapples, lemons, candied peel, smokers etc. But you also get savoury, almost bacony, characters in some examples. Gewurztraminer tends to carry a bit of residual sugar and higher alcohol, needing a good foundation of firm acidity to keep from becoming cloying. Great gewürztraminer comes from its homeland of Alsace in France, though there are some fine local versions as well.
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is important in Alsace where it produces full throttle dry and sweet whites, and in north-eastern Italy where it makes light, crisp and occasionally tasty pinot grigio. It is now highly fashionable in the vineyards of New Zealand, albeit without much consensus on style. It runs the colour spectrum from fairly pale to golden yellow. Fruity characters like apricot, quince, feijoa are typical of this usually unoaked variety. Toasty, smoky and nutty (cashews, pinenuts) scents and flavours can also be noted. It can be fresh and crisp, or have a touch of barley sugar sweetness. At its finest, pinot gris has a lovely feel in the mouth - weighty, rich and soft.
Riesling
Riesling’s noble reputation rests upon its ability to produce aromatic, poised wines that are deeply expressive of the area in which they are grown - be it in the pristine delicacy of a Mosel from Germany, the fuller complexities of an Alsace or Clare Valley style, or the crisp tanginess of a local version. The key to riesling is its balance of fruit and acidity. It can be spine-tinglingly dry or decadently sweet, and it does not usually receive oak treatment. Riesling typically displays floral, citrus, stone fruit, apple and mineral characters. Honey and tea-like botrytis characters are found in sweeter versions. Older riesling takes on distinctive (but not unpleasant) toast and kerosene flavours. It ages exquisitely – often better than more pricey and highly rated chardonnays.
Sauvignon Blanc
One of our country’s great cultural ambassadors. The pure, vivacious fruitiness of the New Zealand style of sauvignon blanc sets an international benchmark for this variety. Sauvignon blanc originates from around Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé in France’s Loire valley where it produces leaner, less exuberant, wines with floral, steely and slatey nuances. Common descriptors tend towards the herbaceous and fruity, including: cut grass, capsicum, passionfruit, nectarines, redcurrant, asparagus, lemongrass, watercress and nettles. The better sauvignon blancs match refreshing acidity with moderately complex flavours. They don’t have a reputation for ageing well, though the rare bottle can surprise you.
Sémillon
Not a popular variety in New Zealand, perhaps due to the sharply herbaceous wine it has tended to produce in the past. Nevertheless, sémillon is the major variety in the great dry and sweet wines of France’s Bordeaux region, produces a classic style in Australia’s Hunter Valley, and is often an (uncredited) blending partner for local sauvignon blancs. Citrus, lemongrass, beeswax, minerals and a distinctive toastiness are characters that can be found in the various dry versions of this variety. It is medium bodied with crisp acidity, tending to round out as it ages – something that the best sémillon based wines do very well.
Viognier
Exclusive and temperamental, viognier does not display its full charms until it is good and ripe. But when on form, it is a seductive drop. It shows heady, rather than delicate, scents of blossoms and fruit (apricots, white peaches). Viognier is generous and mouthfilling on the palate, and highish in alcohol, with perhaps a hint of winegum chewiness or peppery bite. Originally from Condrieu in France’s Rhône Valley, successful examples are made in California and Australia and are starting to emerge from New Zealand. It is said to be best drunk young, though I’d like to try an older one just to see.
Previously in Wine Simple:
How to taste wine: the basics.
Serve it well.
How to describe wine.
Wine jargon: A-Z
Cellaring wine
Investing in wine
Planning your own wine tasting
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