Whites That Aren’t Well-Known

But Are Worth Learning

The sun is shining, the temperature is rising, and my thoughts are turning to a nice, crisp, refreshing glass of white wine. The big three of white wines are clearly Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. Since most of you are familiar with those whites, it might be fun to discuss some white wines that are not quite as well known.

Southern France is a wine-producing region that does not have the superstar status of French regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy. There are some interesting white wines from Southern France that will not break the budget, however.

Viognier (“vee-on-yay”) is a white grape that is starting to gain some recognition. The wines can be light to medium-bodied and generally have good acidity with nice citrus, pear and almond flavors. They make a delightful match with chicken and lighter seafood dishes, and are not usually accompanied by strong oaky flavors.

Another crisp white wine from Southern France is called Picpoul de Pinet. These wines are crisp, light, dry and perfect for a picnic.

While Spain is probably best known for its interesting red wines, its white wines should not be ignored. Although the wines are not complex wines that need cellaring, they are perfect warm weather whites.

Alborino is a medium-bodied, aromatic, dry white wine that can yield surprisingly complex flavors of almond, ginger, vanilla and kiwi. Once again, Alborinos are valued for their freshness and are not usually flavored with oak.

White Rioja wines made from the Viura grape also tend to be light, crisp, citrusy, perfect with seafood and almost always very inexpensive.

Warmer weather and light, dry white wines seem to go together. If you feel as if you are in a Pinot Grigio rut, some interesting and different white wines might be just the ticket for this season’s sipping.

*Recently Tasted and Recommended: Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet and Domaines de Pouy Ugni Blanc.

Each of these southern French white wines deliver crisp, easy drinking at a very affordable price.

(Newtown resident and wine enthusiast Steve Small is the general manager at Yankee Wine & Spirits on Queen Street.)