The vineyards of Australia in 2002 was about 160,000 ha (including grapes). About 40% of production in the white wines. On approximately 62,000 acres of vines are the white varieties Chardonnay (strong and spicy) with approximately 24,000 ha, Semillon (elegant) with approximately 6,000 acres, Riesling (fruity, sweet and noble) with approximately 4,000 hectares and Sauvignon Blanc (fine aromatic) grown to about 2,800 ha.
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On its own or in a blend, this white can age. With Sauvignon Blanc, its traditional partner, this is the foundation of Sauternes and most of the great dry whites found in Graves and Pessac-Léognan; these are rich, honeyed wines,. Sémillon is one of the grapes susceptible to Botrytis cinerea. Australia’s Hunter Valley uses it solo to make a full-bodied white that used to be known as Hunger Riesling, Chablis or White Burgundy. In South Africa it used to be so prevalent that it was just called “wine grape,” but it has declined drastically in importance there.
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a. Chardonnay (Shar doe nay)
Where it is produced : France, US, Australia, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand and many other places.
Characteristics : Known as the “King of White Wine”, it is currently the most popular white wine grape. It’s color is pale to straw yellow and its aroma can vary from region to region. In cooler climates, there are hints of apple, citrus, butter and vanilla whereas in the warmer climate, the aroma swings toward melon and tropical fruits. It is usually oaked and is full bodied and toasty with moderate acidity.

b. Sauvignon Blanc (Saw Vee nyon blahnk)
Where it is produced : Bordeaux, Loire Valley, US, Australia, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand, Italy and many other places.
Characteristics : Also known as Fumé Blanc, this grape is a popular blending grape for Bordeaux wines. It’s color is light to medium yellow with a tinge of green. It has a grassy bouquet like the smell of freshly cut lawn. May also display scents of lemons, asparagus and fig.
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While red wines are probably more popular for wine lovers, it’s not surprising that most of them start out drinking white wine first. One big difference between red and white wine is the absence of tannin, which gives you that harsh or astingent taste when you have too much of it. That is the reason why white wine is often enjoyed chilled. There are many styles of white wines that can be made and the broad styles are mentioned here. Like red wine, there are many different types of grapes used for white wines and I will feature the most popular ones here. Included here is the popular white wines of France, Germany and Italy.

Style of White Wines

For white wines, the style is determined by three factors:

Dry or Sweet:This depends on the grape used and the fermentation process. By stopping the fermentation prematurely, some of the grape’s natural sugar remains. Alternatively, some unfermented (sweet) wine is added to the wine.
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One of the lines in my “You know you’re a wine nut if …” is “You are endlessly amused by the fact that people confuse Semillon and St.Emilion.” When I wrote that (a year or two before I was actually certifiably a wine nut) I thought that it would have to be a common mistake. After all, the names look a little similar. Since I wrote that, I’ve made a few further discoveries.
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