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Light-Bodied, Dry Whites

For Light-bodied, dry white wines, grapes must be in good condition, picked at low sugar levels and at cool temperatures, and need to be free of fungal disease.

The juice needs to be low in solids [so is clarified] and kept away from oxidation [so is kept cool and covered with inert gas blankets to fill head-space in containers].

Bitterness is not a welcome quality of these wines, so hard pressings are avoided, and usually only the free-run and gentle pressing juices are used. Hard [sometimes called 'third' pressings] are often discarded or used in base wines for cheap cask styles.

Fermentation of light-bodied dry white wines usually occurs at lower temperatures [10-15 degrees] to retain delicate aromas. The winemaker monitors fermentation several times per day to ensure it stays on track.

The resulting white wines are refined to remove any solids. What solids, you say, if the juice is clarified? Well, the yeast needs something to feed on, so sometimes the winemakers add bentonite. This, along with any other sediments produced during the fermentation process.

These white wines are usually bottled straight away or stored in stainless steel tanks if necessary with inert gas filling any head-space in the tank to avoid oxidation.

Major Varietals

The Major varietals used for this style are Reisling, Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Mueller Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Muscat Gordo, Schönburger, Traminer.

The wines have low to moderate alcohol levels (9 to 12%v/v), high acidity, and Low pH. They exhibit floral aroma and flavour characters - derived from terpenes located in the skin and sometimes the juice.

There is preferably little winemaking influence on flavour and aroma [no malolactic fermentation 'buttery' character or oak flavour].

Classic examples: Riesling - premium regions = Rheingau & Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (Germany), Alsace (France), Eden and Clare Valleys, South Australia. Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

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