Wine & Spirits

Uncork Unknowns - The Other Whites of the World

By: Christian Torok (christian.torok@gmail.com)

For some time now a handful of white grapes have consumed America’s white wine imagination, but as wine drinking comes of age on these shores, people are seeking new, exciting alternatives to Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Both Old and New World winemakers are eager to show what they have, and an enticing array of choices is becoming available with more interesting whites being produced every year. 

In Europe, new techniques in the vineyards and wineries have led to great improvements in virtually all wine producing regions.  Renewed interest in traditional varieties has encouraged the rediscovery and subsequent revival of many grapes that were almost extinct or under appreciated.  At the same time (and this is a global trend), wine drinkers are trading up, drinking less but drinking better, encouraging producers to reduce yields and produce wines of real interest.  In the New World, consumer tastes – and commercial sense – led most regions to plant the same grapes at first, but as each area begins to learn what they are best at, and as the global palate slowly changes, producers are looking to ‘new’ grapes that will better suit their terroirs and that will make them stand out in a sea of sameness.  The challenge in many New World regions is to discover what the style of the grape will be in its new home; now, with the passing of time, characteristics engendered by the new regions are beginning to emerge.  Here are six examples of ‘other whites’ worth trying.

The rainy northeastern Spanish region of Galicia is noted already for one important grape, Albariño, produced in the area of Rias Baixas.  But Galicia is also home to several other quality white grapes, and the one that seems to be next in line for stardom is the Godello, produced in the inland region of Valdeorras.  The Godello grape was almost wiped out when Phylloxera, a root-eating aphid that devastated most vineyards in Europe in the late 1800’s, struck Galicia.  When the blight was finally controlled, local grape-growers desperate to see returns replanted the region with lesser grape varieties that produced greater yields, and Godello began to disappear.  Fortunately, in the 1970’s, a movement to recover the traditional grapes of the region spurred interest and replanting. Godello produces wines with gentle, ripe aromas, similar to those of Albariño, but with interesting mineral and herbal notes and a silky-smooth body. 

One to try: Viña Godeval, Valdeorras, Spain. 2006. $18.

Pale lemon color. Bright nose, crushed mineral, apples, grapefruit zest. Creamy and flavorful on the palate, ripe apple, white flowers. Great with tortilla Española (Spanish potato omelet) and other tapas.

A search for information on the white wines of the southern Italian region of Campania is bound to yield mixed results.  The area boasts a long history of wine production predating the arrival of the Romans, and the white grapes in particular may be the progenitors of many other varieties planted throughout Italy today. Some commentators seem to dismiss the region as unimportant, while others are genuinely excited about its potential – a good sign that this is a dynamic, fast-improving area that can reward those who seek out the best producers.  Of note is the grape Greco di Tufo, made from a variety that arrived in Italy from Greece over 2000 years ago.  The town of Tufo, in the province of Avellino lends its name to the wine, which can be quite aromatic and intense. 

One to try: Villa Raiano Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy. 2006. $27.

Deep color, touches of gold.  Impressive, distinctive nose of bitter citrus and quince paste.  Complex on the palate, full of fruit.  Surprisingly nimble, fresh finish.  Dreamy with a simple risotto ai frutti di mare.

In the Bordeaux region of Sauternes a blend consisting mainly of Sémillon grapes affected by ‘noble rot’, a type of mold that increases the sugar content and flavor of the grapes it attacks, produces some of the most gloriously honeyed dessert wines in the world. Just north of there, in the Graves, Sémillon adds softness and body to the dry whites, always aided by Sauvignon Blanc, since on its own it tends to be somewhat uninteresting and flat.  But, take that grape, put it in an inhospitable, hellishly hot place and watch it become something completely different – citrusy, lean, refreshingly balanced on a tight beam of acidity - and call it Aussie Semillon! Its traditional Australian home, the Hunter Valley, is hot, rainy, and unpredictable, but yields Semillon that can age for decades, constantly improving in the bottle and gaining a nutty, creamy complexity that makes it unique. But there is no need to wait fifteen years to drink them; these wines are crisp and interesting at any age, and some very approachable examples are produced all over Australia. 

One to try: Kaesler Old Vine Semillon, Barossa Valley, Australia. 2006. $18.

Very light color. Delicate lemony nose, hints of flowers, honey. Very fresh and zesty. Perfect for the raw bar. 

Pinot Grigio has become a victim of its own success and the market is flooded with innocuous examples of the wine. Pinot Grigio is a grape, and to some extent a style, known for freshness and ‘quaffability’.  Yet there is an alternative that is the same but… different.  Under the alias of Pinot Gris, the grape’s French name – and a codeword for wines made in a richer, more complex style – it is gaining a very strong following.  A clone or mutation of Pinot Noir, this vine produces dark colored berries (grigio in Italian and gris in French both mean gray), and has historically been most successful in the French region of Alsace, although it’s also important in some new world regions. Oregon, a state that has already acquired a great reputation for its Pinot Noir, is fast becoming America’s best source of Pinot Gris. The wines can be quite aromatic and immaculately silky on the palate. 

One to try: Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon. 2006. $23.

Delicate nose of honey, carnations and sesame brittle, understated and pretty.  Slightly off-dry.  Light and lively, flavors of honey.  Would shine with a flaky caramelized onion quiche.

Argentina’s wine industry has become closely associated with the red Malbec grape, a native of southwestern France. Its most distinctive white wine grape, the Torrontés, is much more of a mystery, its origins only recently having been linked by DNA to the Malvasia grape found throughout the Mediterranean basin.  It is, without a doubt, the most ‘different’ of all the grapes discussed here since it doesn’t fit well into any of the common white wine categories. Its heady nose is sometimes similar to that of Gewurztraminer…other times to Muscat, aromas that suggest weight, making the suppleness and freshness it often shows surprising. Mendoza is Argentina’s largest and most important wine producing region, and while the Torrontés here can be good, the best come from vineyards at very high elevation in Cafayate, in the northern province of Salta. 

One to try: Zolo Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina. 2006. $15

Deep lemon-gold color. Peachy, honeyed nose hints at sweetness. Dry and full bodied. Nice match for a citrus-basted roasted pork loin, or rotisserie chicken. 

The Northern Rhône is synonymous with beefy Hermitage and seductive Côte-Rôtie, which are produced primarily from the Syrah grape. Although most other appellations in the region also focus on reds, their white wines can be outstanding.  Viognier, a white grape that has quickly become very fashionable and is now produced in many regions of the world, makes its home here too, in the tiny appellations of Condrieu and Château Grillet.  But there are two others, Marsanne and Roussane (often referred to as the twins) that have truly benefited from increasing care in the vineyard and winery, and can produce wonderfully robust, mellow whites.  Marsanne provides the body and roundness, while Roussane contributes structure and aromatics.  These grapes make up the blend for white Hermitage and white St-Joseph, and feature in several other wines across the region. 

One to try: E. Guigal Saint-Joseph, ‘Lieu-dit Saint-Joseph’, Northern Rhône, France. 2003. $45 

Deep, golden color.  Mineral, honey, quince, baked apple.  Big and mouth filling, hints of caramel, showing its age.  Honey-baked ham would be a nice pairing for this one.

These are just teasers of the many fascinating white wines available in today’s market. Why not visit your favorite wine shop or restaurant, and boldly go where you haven’t gone before?  White wines have never been better.  Cheers!

Photo Credit: Kaesler Vineyards 

Tagged with: Albarino, Campania, Elk Cove, Galicia, Godello, Greco di Tufo, Kaesler, Mendoza, summer, Vina Godeval, white wines, wine, Zolo Torrontes