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☰ Table of Contents:

 

PINOT GRIS / PINOT GRIGIO

(the pink diva)

FR: + body / complexity
IT: – body / complexity, + acidity

Origin:

Burgundy, FR (year 1300), now planted internationally

Family and Name:

Genetic mutation of Pinot Noir, an “error” that turned the skin “grey” → hence the name (originally called “Fromenteau”)

Soil:

• Limestone + Clay (Alsace style) → rounder taste, full body, smooth/oily• Volcanic Soils (USA Oregon) → high acidity• Schist + Granite → flinty aromas and more mineral

Pinot HATES
wet soil!

Harvest:

early → “Grigio” style (higher acidity, crisp and zesty)
standard → “Gris” style (smooth and richer)
late → “vendanges tardives” or affected by noble rot (botrytis), resulting in sweet dessert wines.

# HARVEST WINDOW ~ 24h !

# GRAPES COLLECTED AT NIGHT / DAWN (to prevent the loss of fresh fruit and floral aromas)

Winemaking:

1. PRESSING: whole cluster, juice separated from the skin as quickly as possible to prevent coloring (pink pigments)

2. FERMENTATION:
• Cold (12-16°C) → Grigio style• Warm (18-22°C) → Gris style
3. VESSEL:
• Stainless steel (neutral) | • Large oak (foudres) | • Small oak (rare)
4. SUR LIE AGING: the wine remains in contact with dead yeast cells.

5. MALOLACTIC CONVERSION: rare, as it blocks primary aromas.

Color, Temperature, and Profile:

PALE STRAW YELLOW (7-10°C)

“Grigio” style

green apple, lemon, white pear, lime zest, acacia

DEEP GOLD / LEMON (8-10°C)

riper grapes

yellow pear, nectarine, white peach, melon, elderflower

COPPER / PINK (10-12°C)

“The true color…”

mango, papaya, apricot, honey

Regions:

ITALY: Veneto, delle Venezie
FRANCE: Alsace

 

PINOT BLANC

(the easy-drinking one)

Origin:

Burgundy, FR (but moved to its “spiritual” home in Alsace, FR)

Name:

Mutation of Pinot Noir, the skin is white (often confused with Chardonnay)

Pinot Noir(Original)
➝
Pinot Gris(1st mutation)Grauburgunder /
Pinot Grigio
➝
Pinot Blanc(2nd mutation)Weissburgunder /
Pinot Bianco
Allowed in Champagne
for Blanc de Blancs
100% Pinot Blanc

Soil:

  • • Limestone + Chalk (loves calcium)
  • • Clay + Loam (richer)
  • • Loess (especially in Pfalz + Baden, very aromatic)

Harvest: (early morning harvest)

SPARKLING
very early, low sugar, high acidity
DRY / OFF-DRY
moderate ripeness, rounder and richer
SWEET
late harvest, extremely sweet

PINOT BLANC is a high-yield grape ➝ extra production, but if not controlled ➝ the taste becomes watery ➝ “Green Harvesting”: producers cut clusters early to keep fewer grapes / higher concentration and flavor.

Winemaking:

1. FERMENTATION:
• Cold: 14-17°C (Italian style)• Warmer: 18-20°C (Germany, France, Austria)

2. MALOLACTIC CONVERSION: Unlike its “Grigio” cousin, malolactic fermentation is encouraged ➝ notes of butter and yogurt.

3. VESSEL:
• Stainless steel: pure, “naked” wine (Italy)• Foudres (Alsace): rounder• Oak / Small barrique: richer texture (Germany)

4. SUR LIE AGING + BÂTONNAGE: Adds complexity.

Regions:

FRANCE: Alsace

ITALY: Friuli, Alto Adige

GERMANY: Baden, Pfalz

USA: Oregon

 

CHARDONNAY

(easy going / easy to drink)

Origin:

Burgundy (base), FR

Name:

Derived from the Latin “Cardonnacum” ➝ a place full of thistles (Chardonnay village in Mâconnais)

Family:

Accidental cross between Pinot Noir + Gouais Blanc

Soil:

Limestone / Chalk / Clay — ideal for drainage, retains acidity and adds minerality

Harvest:

EARLY
for green aromas
LATE
for tropical aromas

Winemaking:

  1. Whole cluster pressing
  2. Aging on lees (Sur lie)
  3. Bâtonnage: The process of stirring the lees to increase creaminess, nutty notes, and bread aromas
  4. Malolactic Conversion / Diacetyl: (primarily for oaked versions ➝ buttery aromas)
  5. Oak: Adds aromas of coconut, vanilla, and smoke

Color:

• Unoaked ➝ pale straw (7-10°C)
• Oaked ➝ lasting gold (10-13°C)

Aging: 10+ years
Profile: Single varietal or blend

Profile by Climate:

Cool Climate
Apple, lemon, pear, wet stone
HIGH ACIDITY
Light/Medium Body
Moderate Climate
Lemon, peach, melon
Medium Acidity & Body
Warm Climate
Peach, banana, pineapple
FULL BODY
Medium Acidity

Global Regions:

FRANCE
Burgundy (Bourgogne 56%), Chablis (unoaked, high acidity), Côte d’Or, Côte de Beaune (Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet), Mâconnais (Pouilly-Fuissé)
US / CHILE
US: Los Carneros, Sonoma, Napa Valley, Santa Barbara. Chile: Casablanca Valley, Central Valley
AUSTRALIA / NZ
AU: Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Margaret River. NZ: Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay
SOUTH AFRICA
Western Cape (blend with Chenin Blanc), Walker Bay

SAUVIGNON BLANC

(the taste of terroir)

“3rd most planted globally / Notes of gooseberries and boxwood”

Origin:

Loire Valley, FR (though the Bordeaux region also claims it)

Name:

Sauvage (wild) + Blanc (white)

• Fiers in the Loire region
• Blanc Fumé in Bordeaux
• Muskat-Silvaner in Germany

Family:

The official parent, “Savagnin”, is found south of Burgundy in the Jura region. It has cousins like Chenin Blanc, Silvaner, and Sémillon, and a famous “child” (result of a cross with Cabernet Franc): Cabernet Sauvignon 😊

Soil (Crucial!):

If you plant SB in 3 different soils, you will get 3 very distinct wines (Terroir-driven wines):

1. Marl + Limestone: (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé @ Loire) ➝ Vertical wines: sharp, dry, chalky, with flinty notes
2. Flint (glass-hard stones): (Pouilly-Fumé) ➝ Smoky / burnt character
3. Gravel, Sand & Clay: (Marlborough in NZ + Bordeaux in FR) ➝ Notes of passion fruit, pink grapefruit, jalapeño

Winemaking:

  1. CO₂ / N: Used to protect grapes from oxidation (fresh aromas must be preserved)
  2. Malolactic Conversion: Very rare; wines must remain sharp (high acidity)
  3. Vessel: Most SB is fermented in stainless steel. Only Fumé style or premium variants use oak barrels, usually large, to avoid strong vanilla notes
  4. Aging on lees (Sur Lie): Sometimes in Bordeaux, to provide texture and bready notes
  5. Blending: Mostly a single varietal, but in Bordeaux (Pessac-Léognan) it is blended with Sémillon for balance, body, flavors, and aging potential

Profile & Serving Temperature:

Greenish (7-10°C)
Sancerre, Marlborough (early harvest)

Super sharp, crisp, mineral. Notes of green apple, lime, lemon zest, white peach, wet stone, flint

Straw Yellow (10-13°C)
Warmer climate (California, Australia)

Rounder, bready notes. Passion fruit, gooseberry, guava, pink grapefruit

Intense Gold (13°C)
Clearly indicates oak usage!

Color taken from the barrel or skin contact. Vanilla, bready notes, beeswax, almonds, dried apricots

Key Regions:

FRANCE: Loire Valley (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Touraine), Bordeaux, Languedoc
NZ / AUS: NZ: Marlborough. AUS: Margaret River (blend), Adelaide Hills
USA / SA: USA: Napa Valley. SA: Constantia, Elgin

CHENIN BLANC

(the shape shifter or chameleon)

Origin & Family:

  • Origin: Loire Valley, 9th century.
  • Name: Noble variety descended from Savagnin (the father of Sauvignon Blanc).
  • Family: Related to Trousseau and Sauvignon Blanc; takes its name from Mount Chenin.
  • Alternative Names: Originally called “Plant d’Anjou” in France; in South Africa (its 2nd home) it is called “Steen” (rock).

Soil (Terroir):

  • Limestone + Schist / Chalk (FR): Mineral and floral notes.
  • Slate (FR – Vouvray): Structured wines, intense notes of wool and flint.
  • Clay + Silex (Anjou): Gunpowder and smoky notes.
  • Granite + Shale (SA – Stellenbosch/Paarl): High acidity and minerality.
  • Sand: Produces “fruit bombs,” very easy-to-drink wines.

Harvest:

SUPER CHALLENGING: Due to uneven ripening (green, golden, and brown berries in the same cluster!), the winemaker must pass through the vineyard up to 6 times to harvest only the ripe grapes.

Style Profile:

EARLY HARVEST (Sparkling/Dry)
High acidity; green apple, pear, lime, quince, wool, jasmine.
Color: Pale Straw / Lemon (0-3 years).
STANDARD HARVEST (Dry / Off-dry)
Quince, pear, honey, melon, pineapple, mango.
Color: Golden Yellow (5-10 years).
LATE HARVEST (Sweet/Botrytis)
Dried apricots, mango, orange marmalade.
Color: Deep Gold / Amber / Copper (15+ years).

Winemaking:

  1. Temperature Control: Fermentation at low temperatures (12-17°C) to preserve fruit aromas.
  2. Vessel: Stainless Steel (fresh style), Neutral Oak/Foudres (softens acidity), New French Oak (in SA for structure), Concrete Eggs (creaminess).
  3. Sur Lie: Gives the wine specific bread/yeast aromas.
  4. Malolactic Conversion: Rarely used, mainly to avoid blocking fresh aromas.

Key Regions:

FRANCE (Loire): Vouvray, Saumur, Anjou, Savennières, Coteaux du Layon.

SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape (produces both dry and sweet styles).

*Note: Due to its high acidity, Chenin has remarkable aging potential.