Today synonymous with freshness and of purity , THE white wine was born several millennia ago. However, its great diversity can sometimes be complex to understand for the neophyte .
In order to enlighten you as best as possible on the subject, you will find so in this article all the keys to better understand the world of white wine . From its origins to its manufacturing method, including its main styles, this one will no longer hold any secrets for you after reading this!
Originally wine white
According to the archaeological traces that we have, the first wines produced by man would have been made more than 8,000 years ago in the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan etc.). If excavations have still not revealed what type of wine it was, it would be logical to think that This one was white, given its greater ease of production in comparison to red wine .
In fact, whether the grapes have red or white skin, these latter generally contain a white juice . Therefore, if their berries are directly pressed (without maceration), this will allow the production of a white wine, regardless of the color of the grape skin!
Although we are not certain of the color of the first wines produced by man, the The presence of white wine is nevertheless well established ancient egypt , already more than 3000 years before our era . Its consumption is also attested in Ancient Greece (1500 BC to 323 BC) as well as in the romans (27 BC to 476).
In France, following the collapse of the Roman Empire, these are the monks Who take back abandoned vineyards . The religious then made wine for the needs of their abbeys. At the time, wine drunk for mass can be indifferently red or white but from the 13th century, only white wine is used in order to preserve the purity of the altar cloth as well as the liturgical linens.
With the progressive Christianization of the country, needs increased. From the 9th century , the lords also invest in the vineyard in order to have their own production as well as to to show their belonging to a certain social elite.
As the Middle Ages progressed, wine consumption became more widespread. It was then drunk in large quantities by the common people (up to 3L per day on average, including women and children!). Throughout this medieval period, the wine consumed was mainly white. , red not yet existing properly speaking ( see our article on red wine ). In fact, it was only from the 13th century that the latter will begin to gain notoriety for eventually supplanting white wine in volume in the 17th century.
Since that time, and still today, red is remained in the majority . In fact, in France, the average wine production is around 46% red wines, 34% rosé wines and 20% white wines . However, it should be noted that in recent years, red wine has been losing its appeal, with consumers looking for more lightness and freshness.
Is a strong return of white wine to be expected?
How is it made? wine white ?
Now that the history of white wine is clearer for you, Let's now tackle its manufacture ! In order to better understand how this is done, let's discover together the key stages of its production.
The grape harvest
The harvest is the first step for the production of any wine. It is simply a matter of harvest the grapes when they are ripe . This operation can be done manually or mechanically.
For higher quality wines, the grapes are sorted on the table to eliminate underripe or rotten berries.
Destemming (or destemming)
After being harvested, The berries are then destemmed.
This step consists of separate the grapes from their stalks , woody and plant structure forming the skeleton of the cluster.
If this operation is optional, it is very generally practiced because the roundup contains many non-noble vegetable tannins.
Treading
The grape berries are then burst in order to extract the juice : it is the treading.
This step is also optional. Indeed, Some winemakers decide to press the grapes directly without crushing them. in order to collect the juice, which in particular helps to limit the risks of oxidation as well as producing purer and more delicate wines.
Maceration
Unlike red wine, maceration is also an optional step for white wine. In fact, in most cases, this is not done for a white wine in order to preserve the pale color of the juice. Furthermore, when this is done, it does not last then no more than a few hours .
Indeed, a short maceration can be beneficial for certain aromatic grape varieties such as Sauvignon or the Muscat , allowing the future wine to gain in aromatic intensity as well as develop a certain matter .
Again, this is a choice specific to the winemaker depending on the type of wine he wishes to produce.
Pressing
Pressing is the step of mechanically press the grapes in order to collect all the juice . For white wine, this phase often occurs directly after destemming, crushing and maceration was more rarely practiced.
It is a decisive moment as well as a delicate operation for the winemaker. In fact, the press must be skillfully measured. If necessary, Some solid parts (skins, seeds, stalks) could bring less than noble aromas to the future wine.
Alcoholic fermentation
Once the pressing done, here comes the moment of alcoholic fermentation . Under the action of yeasts (microscopic fungi) naturally present or added by the winemaker, the sugars will then be transformed into alcohol: This is the moment when grape juice becomes wine!
For white wine, this step is carried out within a range of temperature between 12 and 22°C and generally lasts between 4 and 15 days . If alcoholic fermentation is usually carried out in stainless steel tanks , it can also be done in oak barrels or in other containers (barrels, amphorae, etc.).
Breeding & malolactic fermentation
Following alcoholic fermentation, the time has come to impose a rest period to the wine, allowing the latter to to stabilize, to develop its aromas and sometimes give him new ones.
Indeed, if the aging of a white wine can take place in stainless steel vats, thus not imparting additional aromas to the wine, it can also be done in oak barrels, then conferring spicy notes (vanilla, cloves, pepper, cinnamon etc.) as well as a denser matter to wine thanks to prolonged contact with oxygen.
Another type of fermentation can also take place during aging. The winemaker can indeed choose to trigger or not there malolactic fermentation (MLF) .
During this natural process triggered by a rise in temperatures, lactic bacteria convert malic acid to lactic acid . For the taster, this will translate into a wine in his glass has there more fatty matter as well as a less acidity present This fermentation is more often practiced in northern regions in order to give a more consensual profile to the wines produced.
Drawing off, filtering and bottling
After aging, the white wine is racked: it is then passed from one container to another in order to remove lees (dead yeast) as well as other deposits undesirable . It can also be filtered to improve its clarity and stability.
Bottling wine
Finally, OUR wine is finally bottled . Following this "putting", the winemaker generally keeps the wine in the cellar for a few weeks in order to stabilize it definitively, then finally puts it officially on sale.
The different styles of wine white
While there are many ways to classify white wines, such as by price, appellation or grape variety (don't hesitate to read our article on the main white wine grape varieties ), we have chosen to list here the main styles or categories that you will come across during your tastings .
White wines minerals
As their name suggests, the aromatic profile of mineral white wines evolves firstly on minerality. But then, how to define this notion so often used?
Well, a white wine is described as mineral when it presents aromas that we identify with chalk, flint, oyster shell, or even gunflint The notion of "rock" is therefore what links white wine to this mineral notion.
Several grape varieties express this type of aroma quite naturally. We are thinking in particular of Chardonnay on some fresh terroirs like on Chablis , At Riesling in Alsace , At Sauvignon within the Loire or even in Vermentino further south.
THE soil type as well as the winemaking are also key elements that can bring out the minerality of a wine.
Fruity white wines
For the fruity white wines , citrus aromas (lemon, lime, grapefruit), Green apple, peach, pear or apricot are the most common.
The wines where the notion of fruit appears as the most important in the aromatic are generally pleasure wines intended to be drunk in their youth. It is in fact during this period that the fruity aromas are the most intense and pleasant for the taster.
Some grape varieties such as Gewurztraminer , THE Chenin or the Big Manseng for example express wonderful fruity aromas.
Friends' white wines
Friends' wines are wines of pure pleasure intended to be drunk in their youth . So these are simple, fruity and pleasant vintages which we call this because we can easily imagine them being shared between friends, in all simplicity.
Languedoc-Roussillon , the Loire , THE Southwest or even the Rhone Valley are for example excellent regions to find this style of wine although all the regions of France are full of them for those who know how to dig in the right place!
Wooded white wines
Woody wines are simply wines that have been aged in barrels . This breeding will mark the wines by giving them woody and spicy aromas such as vanilla, cinnamon, cloves or even coconut.
This type of wine is often appreciated because these vintages present a fatty substance, buttery notes and a lower acidity , making them particularly tasty.
If the white wines of Burgundy Chardonnay-based wines are often known for these types of aromas ( AOC Meursault , Chassagne-Montrachet , Pouilly-Fuisse etc.), many other regions and grape varieties also allow its production. For example, we can think of certain Vermentino from Provence or even white wines from Chateauneuf-du-Pape .
White wines for laying down
Wines for laying down are vintages that can evolve positively in the bottle for several years and sometimes even several decades .
There is no typical aromatic profile of white wines for laying down. Some are in fact aged in stainless steel vats and have a high acidity (Riesling from Alsace or Sauvignon from the Loire on appellations such as Sancerre Or Pouilly-Fumé ) while d 'others are aged in oak barrels and have a buttery texture.
In any case, the natural acidity of a wine, the quality of its terroir and its vinification as well as the type of aging carried out are all decisive elements in creating a white wine for laying down.
Sweet white wines
Sweet white wines are simply wines containing residual sugar . In the vast majority of cases, this sugar comes directly from the grapes harvested. This is the case, for example, of Sauternes in Bordeaux , of some Vouvray in the Loire or even wines on appellations like Muscat of Rivesaltes where alcoholic fermentation is voluntarily stopped thanks to the addition of alcohol in order to preserve the sugars present.
Sweet or sweet wines regularly present aromas of candied fruits, honey, sweet spices and are particularly suitable for dessert time.
A sweetness scale officially defines wines ranging from dry to sweet, including semi-dry and moelleux.If you want more details, feel free to read our article on the difference between a sweet wine and a liqueur wine !
The best wines whites
Although it is very complex to give an exhaustive list of the best white wines, La Cave Éclairée has selected for you here 10 references from all regions of France and ranging from friends' wine to great wine for laying down. All have nevertheless one thing in common: their quality!
- Loire - Bernard Fleuriet & Sons - Menetou-White living room
- Loire - Domaine François & Julien Pinon - Dry Vouvray
- Bordeaux - Saransot-Dupré Castle - White Bordeaux
- Alsace - Boehler Estate - Riesling Holderhurst
- Burgundy - Cheveau Estate - Mâcon-Solutré-Pouilly - On the mountain
- Burgundy - Decelle & Sons Estate - Hautes-Côtes de Beaune The White Champlains
- Burgundy - Garnier & Sons Estate - Chablis
- Rhone - Pierre Usseglio Estate - Châteauneuf-du-Pape - First white stone
- Provence - Sainte-Marguerite Castle - Côtes-de-Provence - Fantastic white
- Southwest - Alain Brumont - Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh - The White
Now you are a connoisseur of white wine! Now all you have to do is discover the wine styles and grape varieties matching your tastes. In this regard, and if you need advice, The Illuminated Cellar still stands at your disposal. Health !
