White
Read best with: “White Wine” by The Vernons
White wine differs greatly from red wine. White wine is thought to have dated back to before the time of Tutankhamun, as white wine residue was discovered within ancient flasks within the king’s tomb. Researchers have studied the white wine residue using Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method, which is a method that uses an analytical chemistry technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry. This breakdown of the white wine residue lead researchers to believe white wine from ancient Egypt was made near Alexandria during the third century AD.
The first step in making a good white wine is determining when the best time to harvest is. Usually, white wine varietals are picked earlier in the season as they tend to ripen faster. White wine varietals are usually picked in cooler temperatures, for example through the middle of the night, so any harsh abiotic factors won’t have much of a hand in the grapes, and the brix levels remain stable. Once the grapes have been harvested, they are immediately transported to the respected winery or warehouse, pressed for their juices, and transported to a tank. Some varietals will sit on their skins longer before being pressed to add extra texture and complexity. During this step, some Winemakers will add sulfur dioxide to correct and eliminate bacteria before the fermentation process.
Some Winemakers have perfected the craft of winemaking without the use of sulfur. But, with that being said the use of sulfur in winemaking has been going on for centuries. Back in Roman times, winemakers would burn candles made out of sulfur in empty wine containers, called Amphora, to keep the wines from turning to vinegar. Amphora’s were a two-handled storage jar that held oil, wine, milk, or grain, and were also used as grave markers or as containers for funeral offerings or human remains. They were also the term for a unit of measure in ancient Greek and Rome.
The juice is now in the tank, and is left to settle. Letting the juice settle allows solids to drop down to the bottom and then removed once the juice is completely clear. Removing the solids removes any added, unwanted texture, bitterness, and flavor from the juice so it is as crisp and clear as possible.
Yeast is added after the juice is fully clear. There are two different ways to work with yeast in wine, both red and white. That is commercial yeast that the Winemakers bought in packets and added in certain amounts strategically to make wine consistently year after year. The other way is to use the wild, natural yeast found in the grape juice, and to let that yeast ferment naturally. Wild yeast can produce a really delicious, but interesting tasting wine, but is more difficult to work with due to its unpredictability from being wild in nature.
Alcohol fermentation then begins. The timing varies on how long fermentation takes, and that is dictated by the Winemaker, and how they want the wine to taste. White wine is typically made in airlocked tanks to eliminate oxygen from the fermentation, which could burn off all those delicate aromas in white wine. While fermenting white wine, the Winemaker can decide just how sweet they want the white wine to be. This is done by preventing the yeast from eating the sugars by super chilling the tanks down. Any leftover sugar is then considered residual sugar, and can be measured as the sweetness level.
At this point, one of the only steps left before bottling would be clarification. This includes filtering the wine and clarifying or “fining” agents which eliminates the suspended proteins which make the wine cloudy.
White wine is also much more acidic than red wines due to the naturally occurring pH levels within the grapes, their pulp, skins, and sugar levels. Red wines are more basic, or alkaline.
White wine is typically separated within five groups based off taste and aroma.
Light and Sweet
Light and Zesty
Herbaceous
Bold and Dry
Bold and Sweet
An example of a light and sweet wine would be a Riesling or Muscat Blanc (Moscato). These wines are usually composed of just a touch of residual sugar, and are slightly sweet and very aromatic. I would personally consider them a great introduction to wine drinking.
Light and zesty wines are usually light bodied and dry, with a fresh clean taste. Best tasting chilled, these wines make up great summer wines, and pair well with fruits, and sweeter salads. Common examples of light and zesty wines would be Pinot Grigio or Grenache Blanc.
Herbaceous wines are the most interesting to me because of the aromas they give off; grass, jalapeño, or bell pepper. They pair wonderfully with herb-based dishes and are good chilled or not. Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino are good, common examples of herbaceous white wines.
When most people think white wines, they may think of the bold and dry wines. An interesting characteristic of these bold and dry wines is that some Winemakers decide to barrel age them in no char, or very light char barrels to gain some of that bold, complex texture, as well as that common creamy vanilla flavor. The most common bold and dry white wine varietal would be a Chardonnay, a Sémillon, or a Viognier.
Bold and sweet wines are usually known for their heavy sweetness and overall thickness in consistency. These white wines are best paired with a dessert or chocolate. Ice wine, Sherry, and White port are all delicious examples of a bold and sweet whit wine.
Next time you’re out and about wine tasting, go ahead and talk to your server about the sweetness and how their wines, and blends, vary!
Cheers,
Sara :)
