White Wine Varietals

Auxerrois (awk-sair-wah)

• Small, compact bunches with berries that are green gold in colour.
• Light to medium bodied with good acidity, and aromas of apple and floral notes.
• Serve with grilled lemon chicken, vegetable wraps, or filet of sole. A great sipper wine as well.

Chardonnay (shar-doh-nay)

• The power house of the white wines, very diverse variety. Ripe berries are green gold in colour with average sized berries. Often used in sparkling wines.
• If done in stainless steel, the wine is clean, crisp and fruit.
• If done with oak aging the wine is oaky and buttery with a fuller body.
• Serve with cream sauce pastas, roast chicken, lobster, turkey and smoked flavoured foods.

Gewurztraminer (geh-vairtz-tra-mee-ner)

• Pink or red coloured berry with small bunches, that have short skin contact to extract the unique flavours.
• A very distinctive wine, with aromas of tropical fruit, lychee nuts, rose water and spice. Often done in an off dry style.
• Serve with Thai or Asian cuisine or spicy foods.

Kerner (kehr-nuhr))

• Origin: Germany, crossing of Trollinger and Riesling.
• Berries are medium sized in small bunches that have a yellow green colour.
• This wine has fresh aromas of white fruits apple and grapefruit and subtle notes of tropical fruit such as mango. It is medium bodied with mild acidity.
• Serve with Thai cuisine, turkey or on its own as a conversation sipper.

Pinot Gris (pee-no gree)/Pinot Grigio (pee-no gree-d’jo)

• Berries are a grayish-dark rose colour that have short skin contact to achieve a slight copper colour.
• A dry gently perfumed wine with aromas of melon, citrus and apple with underlying spice notes.
• Pinot Grigio wines are light bodied with a fresh, crisp style.
• Pinot Gris wines are medium bodied with a smooth, easy drinking style and a little spicier then the Grigio.
• Serve with spiced chicken, grilled pork chops, seafood and hummus with pita chips. Also a refreshing summer sipper.

Riesling (reece-ling)

• The star of cool climates, berries are small and have a slightly speckled green gold colour.
• Wines have flavours of peaches, apricots, and citrus with mineral notes and good acidity.
• Can be produced from dry to very sweet.
• The icewines have complex flavours of marmalade, honey, tropical fruit and lychee nuts.
• Serve with seafood, grilled chicken, light cream sauce pastas and any foods that are high in acidity. Great as a sipper as well.

Sauvignon Blanc (so-vee-n’yohn blahn)

• Origin : Bordeuax
• Berries are average size and have a deep gold colour.
• This wine has aromas of grass, gooseberry, grapefruit with lively acidity on the palate.
• Can be oak aged, which is called Fumé Blanc.
• Serve with chicken and fish with fresh herbs, vegetarian cuisine and goat cheese.

Vidal Blanc ( vee-dahl blahn)

• Origin: Charente, France, white hybrid-cross of Ugni Blanc and Rayon d’Or.
• Berries are in long, loose bunches and have golden yellow colour with freckles.
• When produced dry, aromas are fruity, peach and lemon.
• When produced with a higher sweetness flavours change to apricot, honey and lychee nut.
• Serve dry style wines with salads and seafood.
• Serve sweet styles with fruit based desserts or paté before a meal.