|
WHITE WINES
Chablis (shah blee) - Both the name of a blended wine from the United States; light, fresh, and often with a touch of sweetness, and a French wine made from Chardonnay grapes.
Champagne (sham pane) - Sparkling wine. The bubbles come from a secondary fermentation which puts carbon dioxide in the wine. The name originates in France, but has gained use as a generic term. Champagnes come in various levels of dryness (from natural - the driest, through brut and extra dry to sec - the sweetest) and some subtypes (such as blanc de blanc - made from white grapes and blanc de noir - made in part from red grapes and slightly pink in color).
Chardonnay (shar doe nay) - A dry, crisp, flavorful wine with nuances of apples, citrus and vanilla. Often put in oak barrels at the winery for complexity, and can gain more with bottle age.
Chenin Blanc (shen in blahnk) - A soft, uncomplicated wine with a melon-like character and a touch of residual sweetness.
Fume Blanc (foo may blahnk) - See Sauvignon Blanc.
Gewurztramniner (guh verts tra mee ner) - A light-to-medium bodied wine with a distinctive spice and floral character. Usually slightly sweet.
Gray Riesling (grae rees ling) - An off-dry wine with modest fruit aromas and flavors that suggest pears, and a slightly tart finish.
Johannisberg Riesling (yoh hawn es berg rees ling) - Fresh, lively and delicate wine with nuances of apricots and fresh flowers. Usually made with a touch of sweetness, but sometimes made as a very sweet and rich dessert wine.
Pinot Blanc (pee no blahnk) - A wine much like Chardonnay, only less complex and more fruity.
Sauvignon Blanc (so veen yon blahnk) - A versatile and very popular wine with a rich herb character and a dry, crisp, almost austere finish. Also called Fumer Blanc.
Semillon (seh me yawn) - Smooth, dry wine of medium intensity, with nuances of figs.
|
