Primary Notes: White wine is commonly classified into four fruit categories: green fruit, citrus fruit, stone fruit, and tropical fruit. White grapes in cooler climates have more green and citrus flavors, whereas white grapes in warmer climates will have more stone and tropical fruit flavors.
Other Notes: White wines can also have other flavors like flowers, herbs, asparagus, petroleum (Riesling) or even grass! Some may be creamy, buttery, or taste like bread. Aged white wines may have flavors of dried fruit, honey, or hay.
Aromatic Vs. Neutral Grapes
White grapes can be placed into two broad categories: “aromatic” and “non-aromatic.”
“Aromatic Grapes:” This term stems from the root-word “aroma” and describes grapes that have pronounced fruity and floral notes. For these wines, the aromas are so intense that you can often smell them as soon as you open the bottle or pour them into the glass. Some examples of aromatic grape varieties are Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Torrontés and Muscat.
“Non-aromatic Grapes”: On the contrary, most other white grapes fall into the non-aromatic grape category. These grapes are more neutral, with subtle aromas and less pronounced flavors.
If you were to pour a glass of non-aromatic wine, you may have to sniff a lot harder to smell the aromas. Some examples of non-aromatic grapes are Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, and Chenin Blanc.
Whether a grape is or isn’t aromatic is not indicative of its quality. There are famous and prestigious expressions of both. The differences factor in to how the grapes are handled in the winery.
Why Some White Wines Taste Like Green Pepper
Methoxypyrazines are a compound found in some vegetables, fruits and nuts. Green peppers have exceptionally high amounts of this compound. Although it is not usually detected by smell, it creates a distinctive taste in foods that can make them taste like green peppers.
The entire family of Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon all have elevated levels of Methoxypyrazine when they are unripe and still developing as small berries. This flavor decreases as the grapes ripen to become rounder and fuller with sugar.
Why Do Some White Wines Taste Like Bread & Butter
Sometimes a winemaker leaves the dead yeast in the wine for long periods of time to add bready flavors. This process is called “lees aging.”
White wines may also taste “buttery” due to a wine-making process called “Malo,” or “Malolactic Conversion.” This process converts tart malic acid into a creamier lactic acid (think milk). It can also make the wine taste like cheese, yogurt, or butter.
The wines don’t actually have butter in them, but sometimes Malo produces a compound called Diacetyl. This compound creates the movie theater butter and yogurt flavors we taste in some Chardonnays and other white wines.
