The Wine Enthusiast

Of the white wine grape varietals, which are your favorite, and can you recommend a good vintner or producer..?

… of each?

I am currently quite fond of Pinot Grigio and Gewürztraminer … but I love trying out different wines from all regions in both white and red, but I am learning more about whites as it is coming upon summertime where I reside.

There are some great white varietals.

Personal favorite is Sauvignon Blanc, which is a fruity not-so-sweet wine that is great by itself or with seafood. Suavignon Blanc and sushi is the best. The best Sauvignon Blanc in the market is Caymus Conundrum, which is actually a blend but primarily Sauvignon Blanc based. At $25 per bottle, it is pricier than others. You can get some cheaper ones, including Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc, Duckhorn Sauvognon Blanc, most of those $14-20. New Zealand also has wonderful Sauvignon Blanc.

Other favorite include Viognair, which is a small floral wine similar to Sauvignon Blanc. They tend to be cheaper than Sauvignon Blanc and offer an interest contrast. Pride makes the best Viognair, at $35 each.

Gwertztreminer and Reisling are a bit sweet for me to drink all the time, but for the right occasion, they are fun wines. Gwertztreminer is a bargain, since you can pick up some of those wine under $10 and work great for dessert. Reisling has various type, some sweeter and others not. The best way to look is to see the alcohol content – the higher alcohol, the less sweet. Germans have a system to tell that as well. There are Reisling produced from California to East Coast to France Alsace to Germany and others. They can run anywhere from $10 to $100.

Pinot Grigio is a dry wine more popular from Italy and Chile. They are everyday cheap dry white wine. I found a few treasures Pinot Grigio from US, however, including Alexana from Oregan. Chardonnay in California tend to be too dry and too oaky, especially the cheaper ones.

One last unusual white wine to mention is a dry Muscato. Muscato tend to be a sweet wine similar to Gwertztreimer, but there is one from Napa that is dry and floral and not sweet, called La Sirena Muscato Azure, which at $35 is one of the most unusual white wine on the market and a personal favorite.

Wine Varietals 101 with Brian Kosi at Freemark Abbey Winery

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