Last time we took a quick look across the spectrum of white wines, looking at Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. These are commonly found white wines and broadly known. So now let's take it one-step further. If you find that you tend to like one of these white wines better than the others, you may want to venture out and try some other white wines that are similar in their characteristics.
So we started on the lighter, fruitier and sweet end of the spectrum with Riesling. If you find that Riesling has characteristics that are to your liking you might also want to try Gewürztraminer, Moscato, Torrents or Chenin Blanc.
- Gewürztraminer - An aromatic sweet wine with flavors of grapefruit and pineapple and an aroma of sweet rose.
- Moscato - A sweet, slightly bubbly wine made from the Muscat Blanc grape, commonly known as Moscato d'Asti. It has flavors of apricot, lemon, orange, nectarine and peach.
- Torrents - Not quite as sweet as the others, with flavors of peach and flowers
- Chenin Blanc - Not as sweet but having flavors of green apples and honey.
Next was Pinot Grigio. This easy drinking wine has similarities with Muscadet, Soave and Albariño.
- Muscadet - Made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, this wine is has flavors of apple and citrus.
- Soave - Made from the Garganega grape, this Italian wine is crisp and fruity.
- Albariño - Originally from Spain, this wine has flavors of peach and citrus and can have a smooth (almost oily) mouthfeel with a hint of saline (yes, salt)
Moving on to Sauvignon Blanc. If you are a fan then consider Colombard, Grüner Veltliner, Verdejo and Vermentino.
- Colombard - While commonly used in the blending of cognac, this grape makes a light refreshing wine.
- Grüner Veltliner - Just a hint of sweetness with flavors of citrus include lemon, lime and grapefruit along with peach.
- Verdejo - A crisp Spanish wine with herbaceous and nutty characteristics
- Vermentino -This is a refreshing wine with lemon, peach, dried herbs and a bit of saline.
Finally, there's Chardonnay. This big, bold and rich wine is hard to match, but Sémillon and Viognier have similar characteristics.
- Sémillon - A full-bodied white wine with flavors that include lemon, green apple, pear and even papaya. It too has an oily or waxy mouth-feel and can be rich and creamy like Chardonnay, when aged in oak.
- Viognier - With aromas of thyme, lavender, chamomile and a hint of pine, this full-bodied wine has flavors of apricot, peach and pears.
So now you have a few options to consider if you are stuck on a particular wine and looking to branch out to something different, yet similar. These are all good choices and definitely worth a try. Cheers!