USA – key grape varieties

White wine in the USA has suffered from a reputation of poor-quality mass-produced wine. This is partly due to the vast southern California wine brands like Blossom Hill and Charles Shaw’s ‘Two Buck Chuck’ range that grow grapes to very high yield through irrigation and then produce them in huge factory like operations. Many of these wines are also blends made with grape varieties such as Colombard, Thompson Seedless and Chenin Blanc that are capable of growing high volumes but with little flavour or character. These varieties rarely appear on labels and are sold as simply ‘white wine’. While this gave consumers cheap wine, it also created a reputation that over-shadows quality wines.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay far and away remains the most popular wine in the U.S. and has continued to be the leading varietal wine for the last decade, with sales increases every year. In 2017, California alone crushed 614,000 tons of Chardonnay with 93,452 acres planted in 2017

Fans of Chardonnay are familiar with the wine’s classic descriptors: green apple, fig and citrus flavours, a complex aroma, and high acidity for a crisp wine. The wine is often aged in oak to produce toasty, vanilla and buttery overtones.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is a noble grape variety that produces some of the world’s most popular wines which can also be labelled as Fumé Blanc in parts of the USA. The wines have a range of distinctive tastes from citrus, green olive and herbaceous characteristics to a range of fruit flavours; green apple, grapefruit, pineapple, fig and melon. The flavour styles come from the Sauvignon Blanc grape itself but are also the expression of the climate, soil, vineyard practices and winemaking techniques. Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with other varietal wines, particularly Semillon, which adds a honeyed note to the wine. Generally, the wines are crisp, light, fresh and dry. A versatile food match, it pairs well with chicken, seafood, mildly spiced ethnic dishes and more. The grape variety was first planted in California in the Livermore Valley in the 19th century. According to the 2016 California Grape Acreage Report, Sauvignon Blanc has almost 15,000 acres in California.

Riesling

Riesling is used to make a wide range of wines from dry to sweet and is sometimes used in sparkling wines. The grape is known to greatly express the terroir of where it is grown but will still maintain the characteristics which identify it. Riesling has been described as flowery, honey-like, and complex, as well as spicy and long lasting or lingering on the palate. Try Riesling with Thai spring rolls or spicy stir-fried chicken.

Riesling is grown in the cooler climates of the north west and California where it is also known by its botanical name or synonym White Riesling.

Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is a white wine grape that most often yields a soft, low acidic wine with crisp stone fruit and citrus flavours. California Pinot Grigio adds a refreshing verve to most any light meal. The grape itself has a pinkish-grey skin, hence the name gris (French for grey). Pinot Grigio is the Italian synonym for the grape also commonly known as Pinot Gris, a noble variety that has origins in Alsace, France. In America, the synonyms, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris, are both fairly prevalent. The popularity of Pinot Grigio has risen in recent years. The acreage in California was reported at 2,835 in the year 2001 and has increased to 16,718 acres in 2016. Today Pinot Gris is spreading into nearly all the state’s major wine growing counties.

Muscat

Muscat, usually called Moscato, is also growing in popularity and makes all styles of wine from dry through to sweet. Much of the growth has come from off-dry or semi-sweet styles which are lower in alcohol at 8 to 10 % ABV with some residual sugar.

Viognier

The Viognier grape is a relative newcomer to the USA as the desire for Rhône varieties grows. It is also suited to the climates of California producing pungent and herbaceous wines with fuller body and fruity richness.