If you had to choose your favorite summer white to enjoy on the patio, break out at a social gathering, or serve with dinner, what would it be?
Sometimes when we survey the crowd, the results are very close and even slightly controversial. This time around, our audience clearly knew what they liked, and they let us know! We asked the burning question, “what’s your go-to summer white?” Here are the best summer white wines!
THE RESULTS
- 40.6% of respondents chose Sauvignon Blanc.
- 24.8% of respondents said Pinot Grigio.
- 14.5% of respondents chose Riesling.
- 14.5% of respondents prefer Chardonnay.
- 5.6% of respondents said they reach for a glass of Moscato.
We knew you guys liked Sauv Blanc, but we didn’t know you like Sauv Blanc that much! For those of you sitting there scratching your heads trying to distinguish one white wine from another, let’s do a quick refresher on each white wine and what makes it stand out as a summer sipper.
White Wine Basics
As a quick refresher, let’s go through each white wine and what makes it stand out as a summer sipper.
Sauvignon Blanc grows almost anywhere and is known for its green streak, herbaceous notes, and racy acidity. You may notice notes of green pepper or honeydew.
Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris) is a neutral, classic white wine with notes of white peach, lemon zest, and cantaloupe. This grape is actually a mutation of Pinot Noir.
Riesling is an aromatic white wine with notes of lime, green apple, and beeswax that is heavily produced in Germany. While you may associate Riesling with sweet wine, this white variety can produce wines ranging from bone-dry to very sweet.
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular white grapes and is known for notes of yellow apple and starfruit. Chardonnay can also be oaked, which gives it more creamy, buttery flavors.
Moscato is perhaps one of the most divisive wines out there - either you love it, or you really dislike it. You may not have guessed it, but Moscato is produced in a wide variety of styles - dry, sweet, still, sparkling, or fortified. Originally from Greece, Muscat Blanc (or Moscato) is an ancient aromatic white wine with notes of orange blossom and honeysuckle.
In Vino Finito
Now that you’ve learned the basics of summer white wine, are you eager to try something new? Let us know in the comments!
