Perth | Chards and Savvy’s are so yesterday....
A long time ago in a distant land, well it was Armenia actually, man became a vigneron and started the regular production of wine.
It was 4100BC and the root grape was Vitis Vinifera and it is the root stock of around 10,000 wine varieties and it is was, yes, a red.
These original vines still produce grapes but are grown mainly as a tourist attraction.
Wine has come a long way in 6000 years but tastes have not kept up. Most wine consumers in Australia think there are only four wine styles - Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
So, despite there being over 10,000 grape and wine varieties, the average consumer lives under a rock and drinks his four wines. Sad really, but to be expected.
Drinkers are not adventurous people - I used to work with a guy who bought Chards by the absolute pallet load. "Why?" I asked. "It's all I've ever tried." Ooookay.
Anyhoo, here in the real world it’s time for wine drinkers to step up and try something new.
Herein follows the Anthony and Uber Blonde white wine guide, Part 1:
Whites we drink and why:
Albariño - Portugal, Spain
A lovely wine, sought for its for its distinctive botanical aroma, very similar to that of Viognier. Albariño grown in Australia is actually French Savagnin.
Macabeo - Spain, France
Typically, a blending wine but when found on its own is a fruity, acidic classic.
Grillo - Sicily
One of Sicily's best exports but very hard to find in a bottle shop here, unless you live in *Geraldton. A solid, edgy, and flinty dry wine. Find it...
Vermentino - Italy, Sardinia (Pigato)
A delicious, full bodied, food loving wine and easy to find here. Australian makes are slightly less flavoursome mainly due to very young vines.
Verdicchio - Italy
Planted since the 14th century, the crisp, greenish wine is rising in popularity around the world. Mt Hawthorn has tons of it - just sayin.
Fiano - Italy, Australia
Strong and aromatic, Fiano is readily available in Australia and is well worth finding.
Falanghina - Italy
Easily one of the world’s best white wines and our absolute fave. A herbaceous, long palate wine that should be treasured when found. Rare in Australia. Unless you live in Geraldton.
Greco - Italy
Thought to have been brought to southern Italy by colonising Greeks 2,500 years ago, Greco is grown widely in the south and on Capri. This was our preferred tipple when we were in Italy. The white is full bodied, dry and easy drinking. The red grape of Greco is used for blending, mainly with Trebbiano.
A lot of the wines mentioned here can be found in this country. Imported Italian varietals such as Soave, Fiano and Vermentino can be found in chain liquor stores around the country. And just this week I found a fab Spanish Macabeo in a pub bottle shop for $9.99.
You just need to know what you are looking for...
*Oh and Geraldton - there is a bottle shop there that sells all the above wines. Go figure.
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