Carpe Wine: Sipping in summer whites

With about eight more weeks of summer – maybe a few less here in the valley – I wanted to focus on summer white wines to explore before we have another white covering the mountain tops. We all know chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio are perfect summer sippers, but in this week’s column I wanted to share a few more that offer depth and value along with a chance to experiment trying something new. Like most white wines, serve these chilled since their complexities will pop as they warm up.

Pinot noir blanc

Pinot noir blanc and white pinot noir are the same thing; a white wine produced from the red pinot noir grape. Yes, white wine can be made from red grapes. Instead of pressing the grapes and allowing them to have contact with the skin to obtain the red coloring, the skins are immediately removed, leaving the juice clear and white.

Pinot noir blanc can be richer and more structured than other white wines since it’s made with red grapes. It has an aromatic nose with hints of roses, lavender and lemongrass and a flavor profile that includes baked apple and subtle stone fruits with maybe a whisper of jasmine.

While pinot noir blanc is delicious, it’s a bit harder to come by. It is produced in Champagne and Alsace in France and in Germany, with a growing number of winemakers experimenting with it in Oregon and California. I had never sipped one until this summer when I visited Willamette Valley in Oregon. A few producers I met with had huge amounts — if not all — of their 2020 crops destroyed by smoke from the California wildfires. Instead of tossing everything, a few decided to try to make Pinot Noir Blanc. I’d say it was the yin to the yang.

Pinot noir blancs to try: Evening Land Vineyards, Domaine Serene and Left Coast Estate

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Albariño

Albariño ​ (alba-reen-yo) is a light-bodied fruit-forward wine with high acid. The grape originated in Northwest Spain (Galicia) and is mainly grown in Spain and Portugal. More albariño is starting to come out of the Central Coast in California since the varietal is well-suited for maritime climates. (Watch for albariño from Southern Oregon and Washington State.) 

Albariño is very aromatic with aromas of lemons, limes, pear, grapefruit, honeysuckle, nectarine, occasionally orange zest, beeswax and Thai basil. Flavors include stone and tropical fruits like white peach, apricot, melon and pineapple. On the palate, albariño supports a variety of food textures with high acidity and slight bitterness and works well with aromatic herbs, white fish, shellfish, Thai and Indian food.

Albariño​s to try: La Cana Navia 2022, Soalheiro Granit Alvarinho 2022, Aveleda Solos de Granito Alvarinho 2022

Gruner veltliner

Gruner veltliner (grew-ner velt-LEE-ner) is Austria’s top grape in both quality, style, and production quantity. While about 75 percent of the world’s total production of gruner is in Austria, today top expressions are also found in other parts of Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. You can find small productions in the USA in California, Oregon, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington. Some great wines are also coming out of British Columbia. 

Gruner veltliner varies widely from light and easy-drinking to rich and quite concentrated. Top expressions show high acidity and great aromatics. These styles tend to be bone-dry and full-bodied. The flavor profile shows distinct notes of spice and white pepper with hints of citrus fruit flavors of lemon, lime and grapefruit.

If you like food with heat, gruner veltliner is a great match to spice thanks to its high acidity and full body. Traditional Austrian dishes, like wiener schnitzel, are popular, but it’s also great with spicy Mexican and Asian cuisine along with more earthy vegetables, like artichoke and asparagus dishes.

Gruner veltliners to try: Weinkeller Stolz Grüner Veltliner, Franz Hirtzberger Rotes Tor – Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Chateau Ste. Michelle Limited Release Grüner Veltliner

Gewurztraminer

Gewurztraminer (ga-VERTZ-trah-mee-ner) is a white wine found primarily in the French region of Alsace, originating in the German region of Pfalz. Gewurz is also found in Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, and a surprisingly large amount in the United States. In California, you’ll find it grown in cooler areas like Sonoma and Monterey. New York and Washington are gaining attention for their gewurztraminer. Gewurztraminer styles range from dry to sweet with the most prominent being off-dry with a kiss of sweetness. If sipping a drier gewurz, try pairing it with spicier foods such as Asian, Mexican, or Colorado’s famous green chili stew. Strong cheeses such as blue cheese, gouda and stilton make perfect pairings as well.

Gewurztraminers to try: J. Hofstätter Joseph Gewürztraminer, J. Riehl Gewurztraminer, Fetzer Shaly Loam Gewürztraminer

Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer and wine judge, certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2, and a certified American Wine Expert. She is also the editor at Carpe Travel, a content site focused on wine travel. You can follow her wine 101 and sipping adventures on Carpe Travel or Instagram.