What I like most about making white wine is how you have so many options when it come to creating your own styles. Have a look at these and dare to compare!

Bold, buttery, and cooked fruit (serve slightly chilled 15°C/59°F)

Chardonnay (California and Australia) — Probably the most recognized grape. Just look for the ones aged in oak or are ‘barrel fermented’. You’ll notice the cooked peach, pear, and apple.

Tart or fresh citrus character (these wines are palate cleansers and are best for cutting the fat in a meal, even when fried, making the first bite taste as good as the next; serve chilled, around 8-12°C/46-53°F)

Riesling (Germany and Ontario) — The King of the white grapes. I’ve had Rieslings that are very pinapple, or lemon, and even smell floral. My choice for pairing with fish and chips. German rieslings are typically lower in alcohol (under 10% by volume) and are sweeter. Ontario rieslings are generally off-dry and are (11-12% alc/vol).

Unoaked Chardonnay (Ontario; Chablis, France) — Many may notice how much Chardonnay has a crisp green apple character when not kept in oak. The Chablis region of Burgundy, in France, has a soil rich in limestone. Thus, the wine from here has a wonderful minerally property.

Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand) — Enjoy the fresh cut grassiness and herbaceousness of this spectacular white wine. It’s crispy acidity is great for a pre-dinner apertif.

Pinot Grigio (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy) — This northeastern Italian province makes a very fragrant white that is similar in nature to Sauvignon Blanc. However, from talking to my colleagues and friends at wine seminars, I gather that Pinot Grigio is more approachable because it is more balanced, being less ‘grassy’ in scent.

Interested in red wine, too? Have a look at my page on reds.
http://kevindonato.blogspot.com/2009/12/choosing-right-wine-for-you-red-wines.html