White Wine Types:
Great White Wines for a Dinner Party

But I can't. Because I don't even know the names of all the types of white wine available... there are just too many, and my memory is just too short! (Maybe that's related to the amount of wine I drink?) Though I love wine and drink it more than I should, when I drink whites I mostly stick the the 2-3 white wine varieties I like best. Perhaps you do the same thing.

Even though you and I might be crazy about, say, Pinot Grigio and want to serve it all the time, we need to branch out a little! So if you want to impress your dinner party guests with a nice variety of white wines (this video can help with choosing white wine stemware), read on to learn about some of the major (both sweet and dry) white wine types, including:

• Chardonnay
• Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
• Riesling
• Sauvignon Blanc / Fumé Blanc
• Gewürztraminer
• Verdejo

Want to go straight to Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Verdejo? Skip to page two. Otherwise, read on!

Chardonnay wines are generally more full-bodied and rich than other types of dry white wines. They are also one of the white wine types with the most dramatic differences from bottle to bottle. The way a bottle of Chardonnay will taste differs greatly according to where the grapes are grown and how the wine is aged. Because unlike many white wine types, Chardonnay is quite often aged in oak barrels, giving oaked Chardonnay a richness and complexity not found in many other whites.

What to expect from a Chardonnay: With a Chardonnay, you'll generally find rich citrus scents and flavors, in particular grapefruit and lemon. You might also find flavors of other fruits, such as peach, pear, or pineapple. If the wine has been aged, expect it to have a somewhat buttery flavor and feel.

Serve Chardonnay with: Fish and chicken dishes. It can hold up to richly-flavored dishes better than most whites, so is a good choice for roast turkey, smoked salmon, clams, and mild cheeses. Chardonnays with a mineral character, such as Chablis, go wonderfully with fresh oysters.

Pinot Gris in a Nutshell:

Pinot Gris (also called Pinot Grigio) became popular first in Italy, and is now grown in France, Germany, Australia, and the U.S. While Pinot Gris is generally one of the crisper, more acidic white wine types, the characteristics of a Pinot Gris depend greatly on where it comes from. A California Pinot Grigio will be light bodied and crisp, while a German Pinot Gris will be full-bodied and slightly sweet. This wine is rarely aged in barrel, and is best drunk as a young wine. However, a correctly-aged Pinot Gris can be rich and interesting, with smokey almond undertones.

What to expect from a Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio: These wines are dry, crisp and refreshing. Wonderful for summer. Depending on where they come from, Pinot Gris wines can be full of fruity flavors, such as pears, lemons, and peaches, floral flavors, or even spicy flavors such as pepper or arugula.

Serve Pinot Grigio / Pinto Gris with: Seafood dishes, mild cheeses with crackers, and light pastas. It's best to avoid pairing this rather acidic wine with acidic foods, such as tomato-based sauces and citrus dishes.

Riesling in a Nutshell:

Riesling is one of the oldest white wine types-- this famous German grape has been grown since the 1400s. Rieslings can be either sweet or dry. This is a fresh and light wine, and the freshest-tasting ones seem to get even better as they age. The best of these wines come from Germany, where they're slightly sweet but well-balanced. French (Alsace) and American Rieslings (from the Eastern U.S.) are also quite good-- they're a bit drier than their German counterparts.

What to expect from a Riesling: Rieslings tend to be characterized by floral and fruit aromas, commonly with apricot, melon, and citrus flavors. This is a very flavorful and elegant wine.

Serve Riesling with: Spicy foods (especially Asian), crisp salads, fresh fruit, poultry, and cheese. Rieslings also work well as an aperitif.