Inama Vin Soave Classico Doc 2019
The wines of the Soave are so satisfying. If you like Pinot Grigio but need just a little more weight, these wines plus a Caprese salad are a whole afternoon. This bottle is one of the best on the market and will show how this region rolls a shy depth on the fruit with a welcoming broad palate.
Raul Perez Ultreia La Claudina Godello
Godello deserves your attention. It was once almost extinct. Then, it was brought back to life as a focused, low-yielding Spanish grape, making refreshing and concentrated white wines that sing with cured meats and fancy cheeses. This bottle has a slight grip that contrasts the rich, deep fruit. But that depth is lifted by just enough acidity that brings in aromas of caramelized pears and honey.
Cavit Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie Igt 2019
This is the best deal on the shelf if youre staring at a bunch of Pinot Grigio. You may know this wine already. Its everywhere. But I feel I just need to reinforce the workhorse nature of this bottle. Its crisp and refreshing. The fruit is balanced with the acidity. Its a straight-up legit, solid, everyday white wine that will please all the palates.
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Best With Salmon With Cream Sauce: Matrot Domaine Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay
Also known as the white Burgundy, the Bourgogne is an easy-drinking, fruity, citrusy wine. The citrus flavors in the wine pick on the fat in the sauce and salmon and keep things moving along on the palate. The Domaine Matrot Bourgogne is crisp with a balanced acidity, a pleasant minerality, and a medium to long finish. With just the faintest hints of oak in the background, the finesse in the wine appeals to the powerful salmon and cream sauce duo. This is a well-structured wine with a good mouthfeel that will highlight the fish.
Are All Wines Cooking Wines
Technically, the answer to that question is yes. But realistically, not so much. You see, the term “cooking wine” has a couple of meanings. On one hand, any wine that you use during cooking to enhance your food can be considered cooking wine, whether it’s red wine, white wine, or rosé wine. These can be great to use in your recipes.
On the other hand, there are wines that are specifically labeled as “cooking wines.” While they do have alcohol like regular table wine, these mass-produced products are not actually for drinking. Typically, they’re made with loads of salt and preservatives to improve their shelf life. You don’t want to use these cooking wines.
Good to know: The old mantra of “location, location, location” doesn’t just apply to real estate. When shopping for wine to use in your next recipe, pay attention to where it’s located in the grocery store. If it’s on the shelf next to salad dressings and white wine vinegar rather than side-by-side with other vinos, it’s the kind of “cooking wine” you want to avoid. For more must-have details on the topic, don’t miss our complete guide to cooking wine.
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Four Italian White Wines To Buy For Dinner
Italy has hundreds of native grape varietiesone of the aspects that makes Italian wines so special. The countrys white varieties are distinctive, but most exhibit Italys hallmark acidity, making them perfect food wines.
4. Vermentino di Gallura
Vermentino di Gallura is made on the island of Sardegna and is considered among the worlds best expressions of the Vermentino grape. This variety loves to be near the sea, and these crisp wines showcase mineral and saline characteristics.
5. Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Vernaccia di San Gimignano is Tuscanys jewel. This native variety produces delicate white wines featuring beautiful floral and fruit aromas that are matched with a savory character.
6. Castelli di Jesi and Matelica
7. Soave
Soave is among the Veneto regions best known wines and for good reason. Based on the Garganega grape, these wines range from light and fruity quaffs to intensely aromatic and richly textured versions. The appellations classico zone in particular is known for distinctive wines of character.
If You Like Pinot Noir Try: Chardonnay From Around The World
They say what grows together, goes together, and where Pinot Noir grows, so often does Chardonnay. Both grapes come in a range of styles, so whatever style Pinot Noir you gravitate towards, there exists a Chardonnay counterpart. Fans of the light, fresh, and earthy side of Pinot Noir should look to white Burgundy, which tends to have some richness but is mineral and citrus-driven. For those who prefer a rounder, fruitier style of Pinot Noir, California is the way to go rich, buttery, and often seasoned with the vanilla-toast flavors of new oak, itll pack the punch that red wine drinkers are used to.
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Three Italian White Wines To Buy On The Hottest Day Of The Year
There are many times when the best wine for the moment is not necessarily the best wine you have. The hottest days of summer definitely prove this theory. When the thermostat rises, few things refresh as well as a crisp, citrusy and mineral Italian white wine.
8. Frascati
Frascati hails from Lazio and lies just to the south of Rome. This light-bodied and refreshing wine quenches the thirst of patrons of the capital citys cafés.
9. Pecorino
Native to the Marche region, the recently re-discovered Pecorino is quickly becoming one of Italys hottest white wines. Producing structured wines with high acidity, Pecorinos herbal-citrus notes are reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc.
10. Orvieto
Orvieto is Umbrias best-known white wine. Though the appellation produces a wide range of styles and quality levels, at the most basic, these wines are pleasantly bracing and refreshing.
Best For Cooking Shrimp Scampi: Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio
Courtesy of Drizly
Region: Trentino-Alto Adige / Südtirol – Alto Adige, Italy | ABV: 12.5% | Tasting Notes: Peach, Lime leaf, Acacia
Forget the bland and boring pinot grigios of your past. This stunning example from Tiefenbrunner shows just how textured, complex, and flavor-packed these wines can be. Here, notes of peach, lime leaf, acacia, and quince are balanced by tons of zesty acidity. Prepare your scampi with this gem, pour a splash on the side, and enjoy all together for a luxurious dinner at home.
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The Best Dry White Wines For 2021 Are:
- Best overall Peter Zemmer pinot grigio riserva giatl 2017, 75cl: £24.91, Independent.wine
- Best classic white Domaine Berthenet Les Bonneveaux Montagny premier cru 2017, 75cl: £32.99, Majestic.co.uk
- Best for fruity flavours Weingut Leitz rheingau magic mountain riesling 2019, 75cl: £22, Greatwine.co.uk
- Best for low alcohol Adnams English bacchus 2019, 75cl: £14.99, Adnams.co.uk
- Best for the barbecue Kalogris mister helios 2019, 75cl: £15, Wanderlustwine.co.uk
- Best for seafood Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc 2020, 75cl: £25, Laithwaites.co.uk
- Best oaked white Cambria Katherines Vineyard chardonnay 2017, 75cl: £25.20, Nickollsandperks.co.uk
- Best for ecological awareness Etyeki Kuria MSP zenit 2019, 75cl: £19.99, Hometipple.com
- Best for something different Vina Marty sauvignon blanc goutte dargent 2018, 75cl: £18.90, Winesnvines.co.uk
- Best to sip in the sunshine Cume do Avia T-Reix 2019, 75cl: £15, Wanderlustwine.co.uk
Mullineux Kloof Street Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2019
Heres another reason to focus on South African wine. This is such a classic yet unique representation of Chenin Blanc. Its deep, filling your brain with salted honey. Vibrant acidity comes in fast like a sun beam livening things up. Its that brightness that makes this usually weighty white stand out. If you like Chardonnay, give this wine a try.
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Get Cooking With White Wine
As if you needed another reason to love wine, cooking with it can be just as enjoyable as drinking it straight. Although not all “cooking wine” is created equal, a dry, crisp white wine is the quintessential ingredient that can elevate an everyday dish into a special meal.
From a zesty Sauvignon Blanc and refreshing Pinot Grigio to a dry Riesling and crisp sparkler, there are plenty of white wines for you to have fun with in the kitchen. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get cooking.
Wine For Cooking Versus Wine For Drinking
When picking out a bottle of wine to cook with, first throw out your preconceived notions of what makes a vino great. Most of these are founded on your knowledge of drinking wine and when it comes to cooking, you’re going to burn off a majority of what can differentiate an expensive bottle from a less expensive one. When selecting a bottle to cook with, your dollar is going to go a lot further than it does with drinking wine. That said, there is a thing as too cheap. Avoid wines labeled “Cooking Wine” as the poor quality will diminish your dish.
Have half a bottle of white wine leftover from dinner two nights ago? Feel free to use that up instead of pouring it down the drain. Sometimes cooking is about using what you have in order to make a delicious meal that’s way tastier than the sum of its parts. That’s the magic!
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Best Value: 2019 Avalon Flint & Steel Sauvignon Blanc
As uplifting as it is delicious, this Napa Valley bargain gets its edge from the 2019 growing seasons moderate temperatures. As the name might suggest, this wine packs a sharp flavor that makes even a modest sip feel like a hearty bite.
Chartreuse-hued and ready to pounce, this wine has herbal aromas of lemongrass and citrus. Flavored with apple, peach and honeydew, it also pairs well with sushi and edamame.
The grüner veltliner grape is most commonly grown in and attributed to Austria and other eastern European regions. Still, Zocker Winery in San Luis Obispo, Calif. offers excellent expressions of the grape. The Niven family, who runs Zocker, pioneered the planting of wine grapes in the Edna Valley generations ago, so if anyone knows how to work the land to make some pristine vino, they do.
Expect bright lemon-lime and citrus peel with flinty notes in this wine. Clean and crisp, it’s refreshing with a bit of plush mid-palate texture and a remarkably fresh mineral finish.
If You Like Italian Reds Try: Savennires
From Brunello di Montalcino to Barolo to Chianti, Italian reds vary greatly in style, but there are a few things that they tend to have in common: body, tannic structure, and acid. While some Italian whites might convert Italian red lovers, these red drinkers are more likely to be converted by taking a trip over to the Loire Valley to try a unique style of Chenin Blanc called Savennières. Here, uber-ripe grapes are harvested late and fermented dry, producing unctuous, full-bodied, complex wines that retain Chenin Blancs characteristically high acidity. The flavors of Savennières are also quite distinctive and develop with time, not unlike Italys classic reds think notes of yellow fruit, hay, honey, and smoky minerality.
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Alpha Estate Single Vineyard Turtles Malagouzia
It takes a minute to sound out Mah-la-goo-zee-ah, but youll fall in love with the wine before you learn how to pronounce it. There is a whole world to explore in Greek white wine, as they have unique aromas and structures not seen in other wine regions. This wine smells like honey with a whiff of aloe. It has a wispy refreshment kind of mouthfeel, and youll find yourself grabbing a bunch of bottles of this for a summer day.
Best Overall: Dragonette Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon
Dragonette Cellars winemaker Brandon-Spark Gillis seems only capable of making world-class, complex, utterly lip-smacking and satisfying wines. He also has the good fortune of working with vineyards that lie atop ideal marine and sandy soils where warm days are bookended by cool mornings and eveningsthe perfect growing conditions for making exceptional sauvignon blanc. Tack on a year of a particularly cool growing season, and youve got lightning in a bottle .
Expect flavors of crisp apple, pear, peach, lemon, minerals and delicate herbs. This is a beautifully dry wine with a crisp and refreshing finish.
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Best Dry: Chteau Dyquem Y Ygrec Bordeaux Blanc
Its almost unbelievable but believe itthe best dry wine is made by Château d’Yquem. This is about as rare as they come, so when the opportunity comes along, dont look at the price, just dive in. It’s pronounced “EE-GREK” and culled from the same grapes used to make Château dYquem’s luscious sweet wine. However, these grapes are harvested early in the growing season when the berries retain remarkably fresh and crisp acidity.
Mostly sauvignon blanc with a bit of sémillon, this is as dry as they come, brimming with tart lemon-lime citrus peel, oyster shells, crushed stone minerality, and a chalky texture with gooseberry, kiwi, green apple, and quince. A stunner.
White Wine Pairs Well With Poultry
White wine with poultry is often cited as if it appeared on page one of the Culinary Bible, at least if there were such a thing. AsWine Follyexplains, however, even this seemingly simple rule can get complicated. Yes, white wine works best with lighter white meats such as chicken and turkey breast, but for darker, fattier duck or even a turkey leg, you’re probably better off with a red wine. . They do say, though, that the slightly sweet, yet still somewhat tart riesling can stand up well to dark meats.
For a chicken dish in a creamy, buttery sauce, try a dry chardonnay or a Côtes du Rhône to offset some of that richness. Sauvignon blanc works well with roast chicken or turkey, especially when you’re seasoning it with herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
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What Does Off Dry Wine Mean
Off-dry is a term used to describe a wine which has a slightly sweet element. A wine which is describes as off-dry may be one which contains a small amount of residual sugar to give a perceived sweetness or a wine which has been made in such a way that there is no residual sugar, but a sweet element can be noted.
Best Red Wine For Beginners
Just as with white wines, you want to start out with simple reds. Then, as your wine palate develops, move on to the complex, full-bodied reds. Here are a few suggestions for a jumping off point:
- Pinot Noir: Light to medium bodied and super food friendly, it’s so easy to fall in love with a Pinot Noir even if you don’t fancy yourself a red wine enthusiast. Need some suggestions? Try Lindeman’s Bin 99, Devil’s Corner from Tamar Ridge or McMurray Ranch Pinot Noir.
- Syrah: Syrah and its Australian sibling, Shiraz, are one and the same. Australian Shirazs tend to be a bit on the peppery side while Syrahs tend to be a bit more fruity. For Shiraz, pick up a bottle of Penfold’s or d’Arenberg. As for the Syrah’s, try a bottle of Qupe Central Coast or Eaglepoint Ranch.
- Beaujolais Nouveau: This French wine is meant to be drunk young. It releases in November of every year and usually sells out before Christmas. The wine is fruity and light, without heavy tannins, making it a favorite for new wine drinkers.
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White Wines Make A Good Match For Spicy Foods
Many people prefer to wash down their super-spicy foods with soda, beer, or water, while drinking milk is the common-sense approach to cooling things down in a hurry. If you want a beverage that will complement the flavor of the chiles, though, white wine goes surprisingly well with all things spicy .
DCanter says that a slightly sweet wine such as a riesling or gewürztraminer can help to temper some of the heat in a peppery dish, and they also suggest chenin blanc or a fruity, but not too bubbly, sparkling white such as moscato d’Asti. Wine expert Fiona Beckett, writing for magazine, also agrees with a sparkling white/spicy food pairing, saying, “I love to drink fizz and find that a rather creamy and really mature Champagne goes well with chili-accented dishes like soft-shell crab or squid fried in a cayenne-spiced batter.”
Jermann Where Dreams Have No End Venezia Giulia Igt 2017
If you listen to VinePairs Wine 101 podcast, you know how much I love Friulian wine. While there are many absolutely wonderful white wines from grapes like Ribolla Gialla and Friulano, this region is also known for excellent wines made from French varieties . If a Chardonnay could be soulful, this is what it would feel like. It smells deep and nutty, like almonds and honey. There is a lean channel of acidity running through the wine and letting the depth sink into your palate. What a great wine.
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Best For Sangria: 2018 Flat Top Hills Sauvignon Blanc
The usual suspects used for a white wine Sangria are often from dryer varietals like riesling or pinot grigio, but please turn your attention to this 2018 Sauvignon Blanc from Flat Top Hills. This wine makes for the perfect base for a Sangria concoction with its inertly tropical flavors and aroma. And yes, its tasty all on its own.
Find strong aromas of tropical melon, guava, key lime and sweet citrus here. If you dont use it for Sangria, this wine also pairs stupendously with creamy cheeses. Or, go ahead and pair the cheeses with the Sangria. No ones the boss of you.
