Best Whites Where?

Let’s go back to Module 1 and review the three “Temperature” climates:

Cool: Average below 62^o F / 16.5^o C

Moderate: Average between 62^o F / 16.5^o C and 65^o F / 18.5^o C

Warm: Average between 65^o F / 18.5^o C and 70^o F / 21^o C

White wines experience dramatic differences in style depending on the climate in which the grapes are grown. As we deep dive into Chardonnay, which is grown in all three climates, we will explore just how diverse the resulting styles can be. Below is a great reference tool to identify which varieties of white grapes prefer which climate. Some varietals can thrive in multiple climates, so if one is in multiple columns, do not worry, it’s not a mistake! We will not cover every varietal in this course, only those in BOLD, but we highly encourage you to explore them on your own:

Cool Climate	Moderate Climate	Warm Climate
Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Gewurztraminer Pinot Gris/Grigio Riesling Sauvignon Blanc	Albarino Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Cortese Furmint Garganega Gewurztraminer Pinot Gris/Grigio Riesling Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Viogner	Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Semillon

While not all inclusive, this list of White Wine varietals highlights the variety of styles found in the U.S. wine market.

This table lists only a small fraction of the world’s grape varieties. While there are so many great ones to explore, our goal at DOMSOM is for you to build a strong foundation on the varietals which account for a majority of wine grown and sold in the U.S. today. While not an exact statistic, research indicates approximately 80% of wine is made from 8 varietals (pretty impressive with more than 1,000 options!). Over the past few years, the top 4 best-selling white wines in the US are Chardonnay, Pinot Gris / Grigio, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.