A lot of people like white wine because it's light and refreshing, and because you can drink it with so many different foods. It's a relaxing drink you can have with friends and family, for quiet occasions for two, or during more formal occasions like dinner parties or weddings. It's simply true, though, that white wine is popular everywhere. There are seven major types of white wine, and it helps to know the difference between them, even though they may be of different brand names. Knowing which type is which will give you some assistance when you want to select just the right white wine.

The first type of white wine is Chardonnay, which is very popular; this first gained immense popularity in the 1990s and continues to be a favorite today. This wine comes from France, and has a velvety or wider bodied taste than do dry wines or red wines. This type of white wine has citrus base case, including lemon or grapefruit.

Sauvignon Blanc is also of French origin white wine, very versatile and perfect for salads or seafood. This type of white wine is also fruity in flavor, but centers more on pears, gooseberries, sour apples, and tropical fruits, with an aftertaste that's herbal.

Semillon wine is wonderfully matched with fish dishes. This wine variety has a distinctive fig taste character. Semillon and Sauvignon make a delightful combination when mixed together.

Muscat wine is best all by itself, and not drunk with food. This sweet, fruity wine has a musky aroma. Many consider this wine to be too sweet, but others enjoy this characteristic, such that this wine's popularity is all based on preference and taste.

Pinot Grigio originates in Italy and is an extremely versatile wine when it comes to food pairings. Typical tastes include crisp, clean with a fruity taste, and intensely aromatic.

The Riesling variety of wine works well with pork, chicken, and fish. Originating from Germany it is slightly sweet and a light variety with a fresh taste. This wine gets better with age.

The last of the varieties of white wines is Gewurztraminer, is the ideal sipping wine, and goes well with Asian foods. The wine originates from Germany and offers several fruity flavors such as peaches and rose petals. This particular variety is not as refreshing, yet unique in its own right.

White wine is tremendously popular because of its lightness, and semi to sweet taste. Most people that begin drinking wine normally begin with the white varieties before venturing off to the dryer wines. Others stay with white wines simply because they are so versatile and pair well with many meals and occasions. Additionally, most white wines are served chilled rather than at room temperature as dryer red wine varieties. The coldness of the wine appeals to many people's taste buds over the room temperature versions of dryer wines. White wines are typically refreshing, which makes the chilled go hand in hand with the refreshing characteristics.

Authored by Robin Saunders, an accomplished writer that tackles various subjects including alcohol, DUI, alcohol tester etc. The author highly recommends Alcohawk, find out why it's one of the best testers out there.

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