White wines are usually made without the grape skins, which gives a paler colour and little or no tannin. Instead it's the acidity and the fruit that carry the wine.
Two big styles
- Crisp and unoaked — fresh, citrus and apple, high acidity. Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are classic examples.
- Full and oaked — rounder, with notes of butter, vanilla and nuts from oak barrels. Chardonnay in the warmer style.
Grapes to recognise
- Sauvignon Blanc — gooseberry, grass, nettle. Taut and green.
- Riesling — lime, apple, sometimes petrol with age. Can be dry or sweet.
- Chardonnay — the chameleon: steel and citrus in a cool climate, tropical and buttery in a warm one.
Serving
White wine likes a chill, but not ice-cold — that mutes the aroma. Around 8–12 °C is right; the fuller the wine, the warmer.
It already gets you far to tell "crisp" from "full". The rest you learn glass by glass.