Today synonymous with freshness and purity, white wine was born several millennia ago. However, its great diversity can sometimes be complex to grasp for the novice.
To better enlighten you on the subject, you will find 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 will no longer hold any secrets for you after this reading! At the origin of white wine According to the archaeological evidence we have, the first wines produced by humans were made over 8,000 years ago in the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, etc.). Although excavations have not yet revealed what type of wine it was, it would be logical to think that it was white, given its greater ease of production compared to red wine.
Indeed, whether the grapes have red or white skins, they generally contain white juice. Therefore, if their berries are directly pressed (without maceration), this will allow the production of a white wine, regardless of the grape skin color!
While we are not certain of the color of the first wines produced by humans, the presence of white wine is well established as early as ancient Egypt, more than 3000 years before our era. Its consumption is also attested in ancient Greece (1500 BC to 323 BC) as well as among the Romans (27 BC to 476).
In France, following the collapse of the Roman Empire, it was the monks who took over the abandoned vineyards. The religious then produced wine for the needs of their abbeys. At the time, the wine used for mass could be either red or white, but from the 13th century onwards, only white wine was used to preserve the purity of the altar cloth and liturgical linens.
With the gradual Christianization of the country, the demand increased. From the 9th centuryonwards, the lords also invested in vineyards to have their own production and to demonstrate their belonging to a certain social elite.
As the Middle Ages progressed, wine consumption became more widespread.This was then consumed 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, as red wine did not yet exist in its proper form (see our article on red wine). Indeed, it was only from the 13th century that the latter began to gain notoriety to eventually surpass white wine in volume in the 17th century.
Since that time, and still today, red wine has remained the majority. In fact, in France, the average wine production is about 46% red wines, 34% rosé wines, and 20% white wines.Nevertheless, it should be noted that in recent years, red wine has been losing its appeal, as consumers seek more lightness and freshness.
Could a strong comeback of white wine be expected?
How is white wine made?
Now that the history of white wine is clearer to you, let's tackle its production!To better understand how it is made, let's discover together the key steps of its production.
The harvest
The harvest is the first step in the production of any wine.It is simply a matter of harvesting the grapes when they reach maturity. This operation can be done manually or mechanically.
For superior quality wines, the grapes are sorted on a table to eliminate berries that are not ripe enough or rotten.
Destemming (or de-stalking)
After being harvested, the berries are then destemmed.
This step involves separating the grapes from their stem, a woody and vegetal structure forming the skeleton of the cluster.
If this operation is optional, it is very commonly practiced because the stalk contains many less noble plant tannins.
Crushing
The grape berries are then burst to extract the juice: this is crushing.
This step is also optional. Indeed, some winemakers choose to press the grapes directly without crushing them to collect the juice, which helps to limit the risks of oxidation and to produce purer and more delicate wines.
Maceration
Unlike red wine, maceration is also an optional step for white wine. Indeed, in most cases, it is not performed for white wine in order to preserve the pale color of the juice. Furthermore, when it is done, it does not last more than a few hours.
Indeed, a short maceration can be beneficial for certain aromatic grape varieties like Sauvignon or Muscat, allowing the future wine to gain in aromatic intensity as well as develop a certain body.
Once again, this is a choice specific to the winemaker depending on the type of wine they wish to produce.
Pressing
Pressing is the step of mechanically pressing the grapes to extract all the juice. For white wine, this phase often occurs directly after destemming, while the steps of crushing and maceration were less commonly practiced.
It is a decisive moment as well as a delicate operation for the winemaker. Indeed, the press must be skillfully measured. Otherwise, certain solid parts (skins, seeds, stems) could impart less noble aromas to the future wine.
Alcoholic fermentation
Once the pressing is completed, it is time for alcoholic fermentation. Under the action of yeasts (microscopic fungi) naturally present or added by the winemaker, the sugars are then transformed into alcohol: this is the moment when grape juice becomes wine!
For white wine, this step takes place within a temperature range of 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.).
Aging & malolactic fermentation
Following alcoholic fermentation, it is time to impose a resting period on the wine, allowing it to stabilize, develop its aromas and sometimes acquire new ones.
Indeed, if the aging of a white wine can take place in stainless steel tanks, which do not impart additional aromas to the wine, it can also be done in oak barrels, thus imparting spicy notes (vanilla, clove, pepper, cinnamon, etc.) as well as a denser texture to the wine thanks to prolonged contact with oxygen.
Another type of fermentation can also occur during aging. The winemaker can indeed choose whether or not to initiate the malolactic fermentation (MLF).
During this natural process triggered by a rise in temperatures, lactic bacteria convert malic acid into lactic acid.For the taster, this will translate into a wine in their glass with a richer body and less pronounced acidity. This fermentation is more often practiced in northern regions to give a more consensual profile to the wines produced. Racking, filtering, and bottling After aging, the white wine is racked: it is transferred from one container to another to remove the lees (dead yeasts) as well as other undesirable deposits. It can also be filtered to improve its clarity and stability.
Bottling of the wine
Finally, our wine is finally bottled. Following this "bottling," the winemaker generally keeps the wine in the cellar for a few weeks to stabilize it definitively, then finally puts it officially on sale.
The different styles of white wine
While there are many ways to classify white wines such as by price, appellations, or grape varieties (feel free to read our article on the main white wine grape varieties), we have chosen here to list the main styles or categories you will encounter during your tastings.
White wines mineral
As their name suggests, the aromatic profile of mineral white wines evolves primarily on minerality. But then, how to define this often-used notion?
Well, a white wine is described as mineral when it presents aromas identified with chalk, flint, oyster shell, or even gunflint. The notion of "rock" is therefore what connects the white wine to this mineral notion.
Several grape varieties naturally express this type of aromas.We think in particular of Chardonnay on certain cool terroirs like on Chablis, Riesling in Alsace, Sauvignon within the Loire or even Vermentino further south.
The type of soils as well as vinification are also key elements that can bring out the minerality of a wine.
Fruity white wines
For fruity white wines, citrus aromas (lemon, lime, grapefruit), green apple, peach, pear, or even apricot are the most common.
The wines where the notion of fruit appears as the most important in the aromatic profile are generally pleasure wines intended to be consumed in their youth. Indeed, it is during this period that the fruity aromas are the most intense and pleasant for the taster.
Some grape varieties like Gewurztraminer, Chenin or Gros Manseng express, for example, wonderful fruity aromas.
Friendly white wines
Friendly wines are pure pleasure wines intended to be consumed in their youth.These are therefore simple, fruity, and pleasant cuvées that are called so because they are easily imagined to be shared among friends, in all simplicity.
The Languedoc-Roussillon, the Loire, the Southwest or even the Rhône Valley are, for example, excellent regions to find this style of wine, although all regions of France abound with them for those who know where to look!
Oaked white wines
Oaked wines are simply wines that have been aged in barrels.This aging process will impart wines with woody and spicy aromas such as vanilla, cinnamon, clove, or even coconut.
This type of wine is often appreciated because these vintages offer a creamy texture, buttery notes, and lower acidity, making them particularly indulgent.
While Burgundy white wines made from Chardonnay are often known for these types of aromas (AOC Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pouilly-Fuissé etc.), many other regions and grape varieties also allow for their production.One can, for example, think of certain Vermentino from Provence or even the white wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Age-worthy white wines
Age-worthy wines are cuvées that can positively evolve in the bottle over several years and sometimes even several decades.
There is no typical aromatic profile for age-worthy white wines.Some are indeed aged in stainless steel tanks and have significant acidity (Riesling from Alsace or Sauvignon from the Loire in appellations like Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé), while others are aged in oak barrels and exhibit a buttery texture.
In any case, the natural acidity of a wine, the quality of its terroir and vinification, as well as the type of aging process, are all decisive elements in crafting an age-worthy white wine.
Sweet white wines
Sweet white wines are simply wines containing residual sugar. In the vast majority of cases, this sugar comes directly from the harvested grapes.This is the case, for example, with Sauternes in Bordeaux, some Vouvray in the Loire, or wines from appellations like Muscat-de-Rivesaltes where alcoholic fermentation is deliberately stopped by adding alcohol to preserve the present sugars.
Sweet or semi-sweet wines regularly feature aromas of candied fruits, honey, and mild spices and are particularly suitable for dessert time.
An official sweetness scale defines wines ranging from dry to sweet, including demi-sec and moelleux.If you would like more details, feel free to read our article on the difference between a sweet wine and a liqueur wine !
The best white wines
Although it is very complex to provide an exhaustive list of the best white wines,
