Aromatic White Wine Style Guide
Last updated: 9/2023
Applies to: winemakers looking to make an intensely fruity and floral wine, often from varieties with high terpenes. This article contains a pdf download with complete process and product recommendations.
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AROMATIC WHITE WINE STYLE GUIDE
Winemakers can drive wine style based on key processing decisions and correct product choice. We created these Scott Labs wine style guides to provide both process and product recommendations for helping winemakers achieve their stylistic goals.
Aromatic White Wines
Learn how we think about "Aromatic White Wines" to determine if this style guide is right for you:
DEFINITION
"Aromatic whites" describes wines characterized by intense fruity and floral aromas. They can be made from many different grape cultivars; however, some lend themselves to this style of wine better than others.
COMMON VARIETIES
- Albariño
- Gewürztraminer
- Muscat
- Riesling
- Pinot gris
- Verdejo
- Vidal blanc
- La Crescent
- Traminette
- Sauvignon blanc (see Style Guide)
- Chardonnay (see Style Guide)
- Viognier (see Style Guide)
UNIQUE WINEMAKING CONSIDERATIONS
Encouraging production of compounds that support the desired wine style
Aromatic whites can be pushed stylistically in many directions based on winemaking choices. Styles include:
- yellow & white fruits (peach, nectarine, melon, and pear)
- citrus and tropical fruit (orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and lychee)
- floral (jasmine, rose, and citrus blossom)
- spicy (ginger and allspice)
Protecting aromatic compounds so that they are long lasting and stable
Some of these varieties experience atypical aging (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and some hybrids) so protecting aromatics with antioxidants beyond SO2 is key.
Managing color
Some of these varieties (Gewürztraminer and Pinot gris) are made from red-skinned grapes. It is important to be gentle when handling these grapes to minimize color extraction. These varieties also have the potential to “pink” due to the presence of anthocyanins.
Protecting against off-odors
It is especially important to protect against volatile sulfur off-odors in these wines. No to low H2S production yeast strains should be considered.