There is an opinion that wine is a drink of the gods. A sun-filled drink has billions of fans around the world. A variety of taste sensations and useful qualities made wine one of the most popular alcoholic beverages. The exact number of wine varieties is still unknown, but it is clear that they all have unforgettable taste and many beneficial properties.
How to choose a grape variety to make white wine
Winemaking is an activity that is very popular among residents of the whole world, but in order to make the drink really tasty, it is initially worth choosing the right grape varieties. White grapes for wine should have berries of a light yellow or pink hue. Few novice winemakers know that the best wine comes from grapes that are intended for technical use. The berries of such a plant have a tart taste and a minimal amount of pulp. It is very easy to buy technical grape seedlings, but before making a purchase you should know the full characteristics of the plant.
Parameters of differences in grape varieties
- The ripening period of the fruit.
- Taste quality of fruits.
- Plant resistance to disease.
- Susceptibility to frost.
- Requirements for the care of the plant.
When purchasing grape seedlings for planting, you should pay attention to the fact that the plant is not damaged and has a healthy trunk and root. Having studied the information about the plant, each winemaker gets a chance to grow a full-fledged vineyard and get a large number of crops.
Often made mistakes when choosing grape varieties
The most common mistake is to think that grapes are an unpretentious plant. The erroneous opinion leads to the fact that after planting, young seedlings grow poorly, do not bear fruit, often get sick, or even die. In order to avoid the sad consequences and get a good harvest, you should be guided by certain rules before buying young bushes:
- The grape variety must be highly resistant to disease.
- Depending on the climate of the region, a certain grape variety is selected.
- High cold tolerance.
- The best grape varieties are those that have a long shelf life.
Guided by these rules, you can buy a good grape variety that will give a large amount of yield. All white grapes for wine to one degree or another are susceptible to various diseases, and therefore require special care. In most cases, the development of the plant is influenced by the place of growth and the chemical composition of the soil.
The best grapes for making white wine
Each grape variety has certain taste and beneficial properties. There is a specific list of varieties that make white wine particularly tasty. All winemakers, from amateurs to professionals, argue that the most delicious grape varieties are:
- "Rkatsiteli";
- "white muscat";
- Chardonnay
- "aligote";
- "Riesling".
Now let's talk about each variety in more detail.
"Rkatsiteli"
"Rkatsiteli" is a grape variety that grows throughout Georgia. This species has large berries that ripen within 5 months, so the first crop is harvested in October. One of the negative qualities of this variety is its dependence on weather conditions. Bad weather can greatly reduce yields. The plant loves a humid climate, so the soil where it grows should be constantly irrigated. Vineyard bushes should be placed horizontally. During cold winters, the grapes must be insulated. "Rkatsiteli" - a grape variety that has a special taste. Having taken a sip of such wine, you can feel the taste of citrus, herbs and flowers. The popularity of wine from the "Rkatsiteli" is due to the fact that it goes with any dishes. Depending on the amount of sugar added, the drink will have a sour or semi-sweet flavor.
"White Muscat"
This grape variety is known worldwide as one of the most delicious berries. Even the ancient Romans noticed that this particular grape has a special taste. Today, "white muscat" has a very large number of subspecies. All varieties of this grape can be divided into the following plants: early ripe, mid-ripening and late ripening. This variety can not resist the cold, so the likelihood that the seedlings will die during the period of severe frost is very high. The main feature of this variety is that the longer the clusters of berries hang, the sweeter they become. Therefore, in order to prepare dry white wine, the fruits of “white muscat must be harvested in the early stages of ripening. Some winemakers neglect this rule, making a mistake.
Dry white muscat wine has a special taste. The taster of such a wine first of all feels the distinct taste of grape berries, without any other aftertaste. White muscat goes well with meat and fish, so this wine is served for lunch or dinner.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is one of the most popular grape varieties used to make white wine. Ripening occurs within 130 days. "Chardonnay" - this is the variety that is afraid of the cold, so, starting in the fall, it should be insulated. The main task of the winemaker is to collect the harvest on time, as the ripe "Chardonnay" grapes become unsuitable for making wine. Chardonnay white dry wine has a mild flavor with hints of a variety of fruits. The finished wine has a long shelf life, according to taste it can be divided into: dry, strong, weak and dessert. Depending on the place of growth, the fruits of the plant will have different taste qualities. Chardonnay white wine goes well not only with meat, but also with various seafood. The temperature at which you can feel the full taste of wine is 12 ° C.
Aligote
Aligote grape is a plant native to France. This grape variety belongs to frost-resistant and early ripening species. A distinctive feature of "aligot" is its shape of the leaves, which are slightly twisted in one direction or another. "Aligote" is unpretentious, so you can grow it in almost any region of the country. It has a high yield. The main requirements for the cultivation of this grape variety are the creation of proper lighting, the implementation of top dressing and timely watering. Grapes have high taste, which is what makes this variety popular among all winemakers. "Aligote" is sour in taste, so most connoisseurs of this variety prefer to use it only with food. You can drink such a wine with any dishes, ranging from meat to seafood.
"Riesling"
The grape variety Riesling is a sun-loving plant, but it does not tolerate heat. Depending on the region of growth, the grape itself acquires different taste qualities. The negative side of this variety is that the rapid ripening of berries can lead to an unpleasant taste, which will resemble the smell of rubber. Cooked wine from this grape can be stored for almost an unlimited amount of time. Wine from "Riesling" has a fruity aroma, its feature is the presence of notes of pear and apple. When drinking wine, some lovers of this variety add a small proportion of spices to it, which makes the taste more original. Riesling goes well with meat, cheese and various vegetable dishes.
White wine
According to taste sensations, white wine is considered to be much milder than red, so its preparation is not an easy task. Not every beginner winemaker knows how to make wine from white grape varieties. The main feature of making white wine is the use of berries without peels and seeds. It is also unacceptable to add any impurities to the raw materials. White grapes for wine are selected at the discretion of the winemaker. Even when preparing a drink according to the same recipe, one should not expect that the wine will have the same taste. In most cases, the taste of wine depends on the maturity of the fruit and its taste characteristics.
Rkatsiteli grapes are used to make white table wine. One of the technologies used for the preparation of white wine is the use of not only the berries of the plant, but also its crests. This technology allows you to cook wine tart to the taste, with notes of honey. The main secret of making wine from "Rkatsiteli" is the minimum addition of sugar to the drink. For this type of wine alcohol is used 12%. The finished product has a full-fledged taste, and its color varies from transparent to straw.
Dry white muscat wine can be made from any type of muscat grape. Each berry of this variety contains many useful substances, so a large amount of sugar or alcohol added to this wine deprives it of its beneficial qualities.
26% sugar is added to dry white chardonnay wine. This is exactly the wine, the preparation of which cannot be spoiled, thanks to the high qualities of the Chardonnay grapes themselves. Therefore, for beginner winemakers who would like to conduct experiments, grapes of this variety are ideal.
Aligote grapes are ideal for making dry white wine. You should drink such wine young to feel notes of fruits and herbs. Aligote wine is often prepared using standard technology, but experienced winemakers have their own proven recipes that make it possible to make wine with amazing taste.
To prepare dry wine from the "Riesling" berries should be picked at the beginning of their ripening. A feature of this variety is that even the harvested crop continues to ripen in bottles. The wine acquires a special taste after ten years of aging. It should be borne in mind that grapes themselves have a sour taste, which cannot be smashed even by the largest amount of sugar.
Useful properties of white wine
The most delicious grapes allow you to cook a truly healthy white dry wine. It is important that such a wine possess useful qualities, which include:
- Prevention of the development of various diseases.
- Saturation of the body with vitamins and minerals.
- Strengthening the human cardiovascular system.
Do not forget that all white grape varieties for wine have a huge list of useful properties, so you can eat them fresh.
No matter how useful wine, abusing it, the body can be harmful. Therefore, the use of this drink should be in reasonable quantities. Many gourmets prefer to drink wine diluted with sparkling water, claiming that such a drink has a beneficial effect on the whole body.