Medium Bodied and Full Bodied White Wines

Light bodied white wines are a great place to start when learning about and tasting wines.  They are fresh and crisp with bright fruit flavors and high acidity.  So the next step up is into medium bodied and full bodied whites.

As I have been researching and putting together notes on white wines, I've found that it's been tough, as expected, to describe and define a wine's body.  That's because there are not strong lines between the categories of light, medium and full bodied wines.  But the characteristics of alcohol levels, tannin, residual sugar and acidity do give some basic guidance on a wine's body.

While white wine with less than 12.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) would be considered light bodied, medium bodied white wines are said to have 12.5% to 13.5% ABV and full bodied white are those with greater than 13.5% ABV. These are general guidelines, but at least this is one of the few characteristics that is actually shown on a wine's label (ABV percentage is legally required to be printed somewhere on a bottle of wine).

A wine's residual sugar (RS) is also a telling characteristic of its body, but it is directly related to a wine's alcohol level. The lower the alcohol level, the more residual sugar; the higher the alcohol level the lower the alcohol level. So you can expect a light bodied, lower alcohol, wine to have some residual sugar and to have a slightly sweet taste.  The medium and full bodied white wines will have higher alcohol, lower RS and little to no sweetness to them.

The acidity of medium and full bodied white wines is much lower than light body whites.  While the acidity in a light bodied white wine will give it a bright, crisp and mouth watering finish, medium and full bodied white wines will not. These will be richer and smoother.

And finally, there's the characteristic of tannin. This is something that isn't really a factor in white wines. Tannins come from the grapes skin, seeds and stems.  Most every white wine is pressed and the juice is immediately separated from the skins, seeds and stems. So tannin levels are next to zero.  So called "Orange" wines are made from white wine grapes and they to get contact time with the grape skins, seed and stems, giving them the characteristic light orange color (not the flavor of an orange). Tannins do play a huge roll in red wines and we'll say more about this when we address the medium and full bodied red wines in future postings.

In addition these four characteristics, one must consider that a wine's body is also influenced by the wine maker.  The grape variety isn't necessarily the key to determining the body of a wine. Take Chardonnay for example. A Chardonnay that is produced in stainless steel or concrete tanks is considered light bodied. But, if the wine maker chooses to age the Chardonnay in neutral oak it's going to be medium bodied. A Chardonnay that goes through the addition step of Malolactic Fermentation and is aged in new oak will be full bodied.  So, it isn't just the grape variety that determines a wine's body, it's also how it's made.

While Chardonnay is a great example of a medium or full bodied white wine, there are certainly others. And we'll get to them next time. Cheers!

Try a Different Wine this Year with Your Turkey

As American's approach Thanksgiving, we have our traditions. And, tradition often dictates what wines will be served with our Thanksgiving meal.  

Conventional wisdom says that with the traditional turkey you must serve a white wine.  And white wines do go well with turkey.  Traditional white wine choices include:

• Gewürztraminer - One of the Thanksgiving favorites. This is a highly aromatic wine with floral touches and spice notes such as cloves and nutmeg.
• Riesling - This has spicy, fruity flavors with touches of peaches or apricots and a floral fragrance that compliments the meal well.
• Sauvignon Blanc - Light and crisp, with grassy or herbaceous flavors and higher acidity.  This wine goes well with all the rich foods on the table.
• Pinot Grigio - Light and zesty with flavors of lemon, melon and peach.
• Chardonnay - A common choice, but best to go with the lighter and fruiter un-oaked versions that work best with all the flavors on the Thanksgiving table.

And, rosé and sparkling wines are also natural pairings with turkey. 

But turkey, by itself, is a pretty neutral meat.  And therefore, you can pair your wines just as easily with all the fixings that go along with the turkey. And red wines will often work exceptionally well with your meal.  Just as cranberry sauce goes on the table, a nice fruity red wine is a great choice:

• Beaujolais - Light, dry and fresh with fruity flavors. And you can serve it slightly chilled.
• Pinot Noir - Another lighter red with flavors of cherry, raspberry and strawberry. If you are in the French wine isle, this is called a red Burgundy. And this too can be served slightly chilled.
• Carignan - This red wine is a bit higher in tannins and acid, with flavors of dark and black fruits, pepper, licorice, and spicy, savory aromas.
• Rhône Blends - Rhône wines focus on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes, producing medium-bodied spicy blends.
• Zinfandel - Here's a red wine that can really work with a Thanksgiving meal. Lots of intense, plummy, jammy flavors with spicy or peppery notes.

One note with the red wines, avoid the dry and tannic ones (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon) which can get lost in the presence of all the fruit, sugar, and salt on the Thanksgiving table.

So this year try at least one non-traditional wine with your Thanksgiving meal. But, most importantly, drink what you enjoy most!  Cheers!

Have You Tried Albariño? You Really Should!

In recent postings we've explored some of the most common red and white wines and then taken a more in-depth look at other similar wines.  As we walked through the white wines, Pinot Grigio was discussed. It was described as a light-bodied wine with a zesty and thirst quenching appeal.  Then, as other similar white wines were described, Albariño was introduced.  But, you may have asked yourself 'What is Albariño?" and thought "I've never heard of it."  Or, you may have completely passed over this relatively unheard of wine. And that would be a mistake!

Albariño (aha-bar-reen-yo) is a white wine whose grapes originally came from Spain. The wine's name, Alba-Riño literally means white (wine) of the Rhine.  What could be better, right?  This grape is primarily grown in Spain as well as Portugal (where it's called "Alvarihno") but has spread to the U.S. where it is grown in cooler California climates, notably Napa, Sonoma Coast and Paso Robles.

This very refreshing wine is quite dry (i.e., little to no residual sugar) and has aromas of apple, grapefruit, melon and lemon and includes flavors of peach and citrus.  Albariño can have a smooth, creamy, almost oily or waxy mouthfeel and a finish with a hint of saline (yes, salt).  So, if you enjoy a smooth, creamy Chardonnay, you should give this lighter white a try.

And, if you happen to come upon a Vihno Verde (Portuguese), you'll also be enjoying a wine made from Albariño grapes.  This too is a light, refreshing and citrus infused wine that can be produced still or slightly sparkling.

One way or another, keep your eyes out for Albariño.  If you enjoy white wine, you need to give it a try!  Cheers!

What Other White Wines Should You Try?

Last time we took a quick look across the spectrum of white wines, looking at Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. These are commonly found white wines and broadly known. So now let's take it one-step further.  If you find that you tend to like one of these white wines better than the others, you may want to venture out and try some other white wines that are similar in their characteristics.

So we started on the lighter, fruitier and sweet end of the spectrum with Riesling.  If you find that Riesling has characteristics that are to your liking you might also want to try Gewürztraminer, Moscato, Torrents or Chenin Blanc.

• Gewürztraminer - An aromatic sweet wine with flavors of grapefruit and pineapple and an aroma of sweet rose. 
• Moscato - A sweet, slightly bubbly wine made from the Muscat Blanc grape, commonly known as Moscato d'Asti.  It has flavors of apricot, lemon, orange, nectarine and peach.
• Torrents - Not quite as sweet as the others, with flavors of peach and flowers
• Chenin Blanc - Not as sweet but having flavors of green apples and honey.

Next was Pinot Grigio. This easy drinking wine has similarities with Muscadet, Soave and Albariño.

• Muscadet - Made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, this wine is has flavors of apple and citrus.
• Soave - Made from the Garganega grape, this Italian wine is crisp and fruity.
• Albariño - Originally from Spain, this wine has flavors of peach and citrus and can have a smooth (almost oily) mouthfeel with a hint of saline (yes, salt)

Moving on to Sauvignon Blanc. If you are a fan then consider Colombard, Grüner Veltliner, Verdejo and Vermentino.

• Colombard - While commonly used in the blending of cognac, this grape makes a light refreshing wine.
• Grüner Veltliner - Just a hint of sweetness with flavors of citrus include lemon, lime and grapefruit along with peach.
• Verdejo - A crisp Spanish wine with herbaceous and nutty characteristics
• Vermentino -This is a refreshing wine with lemon, peach, dried herbs and a bit of saline.

Finally, there's Chardonnay.  This big, bold and rich wine is hard to match, but Sémillon and Viognier have similar characteristics.

• Sémillon - A full-bodied white wine with flavors that include lemon, green apple, pear and even papaya. It too has an oily or waxy mouth-feel and can be rich and creamy like Chardonnay, when aged in oak.
• Viognier - With aromas of thyme, lavender, chamomile and a hint of pine, this full-bodied wine has flavors of apricot, peach and pears.

So now you have a few options to consider if you are stuck on a particular wine and looking to branch out to something different, yet similar.  These are all good choices and definitely worth a try. Cheers!

What White Wines Should You Try?

When it comes to getting acquainted with wines, it's common to start with white wines. They can be fruity, zesty, refreshing and easy to drink. And, because they are chilled, they are often more approachable when starting to explore wines.

White wines can range from being light, sweet and fruity to bold, rich and creamy.  So, here are four common white wines that span the spectrum.

Starting with the lighter and sweeter end of the spectrum you'll find Riesling (REEZ-ling). With Rieslings you'll find that they can be somewhat sweet or they can be dry. And remember, dry refers to the amount of residual sugar in the wine, not the way it feels in your mouth.  So, a slightly sweet, or 'off-dry' Riesling can have bright flavors of green apple, lime and a hint of honey-like flavor.  And, Riesling has high acidity, which means that it gives you a mouth-watering feel when drinking.

Next along the spectrum would be Pinot Grigio (Pee-noh GREE-gee-oh) or Pinot Gris (Pee-noh GREE), as it's known in France. This light-bodied wine is also zesty and thirst quenching. American Pinot Grigio is typically very fruity with flavors of lemon, melon and peach and tend to be mildly sweet. 

Moving up the spectrum of white wine takes us next to Sauvignon Blanc (so-vin-YAWN-Blonk). Again, this is a light-bodied white wine that's zesty with flavors of grapefruit and honeydew melon. In addition to these fruit flavors, Sauvignon Blanc is described by some as having very subtle 'green' flavors of green pepper and grass. This is a fruit-filled wine that can be slightly sweet.

And finally, at the bold and rich end of the white wine spectrum is Chardonnay (Shar-doe-Nay).  But even within Chardonnays, they can range from light and fruity to rich and creamy.  This comes from the fermentation process. The light and fruity Chardonnays are fermented in stainless steel tanks while the richer Chardonnays are fermented and aged in oak. And, when the oaked Chardonnays go through a second process (malolactic fermentation), the malic acid which is tart and tangy is converted to lactic acid (think milk) that can yield a rich, creamy and buttery Chardonnay.

While all of these white wines should be served chilled, they aren't chilled to refrigerator temperatures.  If you do chill your white wine in the refrigerator, just take them out about 30 minutes before you serve them. Or, if you have a wine refrigerator, store and serve them in the 45 to 55 degree F temperature range for optimum flavor.  The lighter, zestier wines should be the coolest with the oaked Chardonnay on the warmer end of the temperature range.

So, there's a quick run through the spectrum of a few basic white wines.  Next time we'll explore some other white wines that are similar to those discussed here to help expand your white wine drinking options. Until then, cheers!