White wine is produced from the alcoholic fermentation of white grapes. White wines are usually fermented without skin contact. Pressing is the method used to separate the solid part of the grape from the liquid part (grape juice). In the production of white wine, pressing may be of whole bunches or de-stemmed grapes.
The must is then decanted, by cold or by chemical reaction, to separate the clean juice from the lees. The juice ferments in stainless steel tanks, barrels, casks, cement or wood, generally at a lower temperature than in red wine fermentation.
After alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation may occur. This second fermentation is not as common as in red wines. However, it is possible and often desirable for it to occur; this is an option of the winemaker.
The wine is stabilised and bottled to maintain the primary aromas.
Since it is a white wine that has fermented in barrels and has undergone malolactic fermentation, it is possible that this wine may still mature in cellar for a few months in barrels. Contact with the fine lees through "battonage" (stirring the fine lees so that they remain suspended in the wine) will foster the integration of the wood aromas and form the wine's body. This process also works as an antioxidant in the wine. After tasting and oenological approval, the wine is stabilised and bottled.
Types of white wine essentially depend on the type of grape variety used and the technique used in production/winemaking. They may be white wines with or without tanning, fermented in vats or wooden barrels, giving rise to different styles of white wine.
White wines can be dry, sweet, fruity, mineral, woody, and in Portugal we have another style of white wine, the white vinho verde, which has this designation because it is produced in the Vinho Verde Region.
Choosing white wine is a process in which the most important factor is the reason for the purchase. In other words, are you buying white wine to drink or to keep, and for what type of occasion, a meal or a social event? If we answer these questions, choosing white wine is simple.
Very delicate foods such as oysters, or spicy foods such as Indian and Thai food will generally go well with white wines.
Sweet white wine or fruity white wine are a great option for spicy or very spicy foods where red wine becomes difficult to drink; this is where white wines shine.
Choosing white wine or other types of wine can be very personal if you are not buying for a corporate event. It's up to the type of wine you like the most, and what the purpose of the purchase is. If you are looking for a light and mineral rich wine, we suggest Arinto dos Açores, which works perfectly with seafood, oysters and sushi.
If you have an event with a varied public and different types of food, then the ideal would be Fita Preta Branco or Gouveio by Joaninha, from Douro Valley. If you want to have a sophisticated dinner with a robust fish like cod, we suggest a wine with more texture and smokier notes like the Palpite Branco. These and other wines can be found in our online shop.