White wine is not necessarily white. Clear, yellows, golds, and a variety of hues in between create the red wine cousin that has perpetually struggled for equality among the wine connoisseurs. White wines have a few select superb bottles among their ranks that are slowly gaining recognition and evening out the competition with the reds. However the spring and summer months almost call out for a picnic with a nice chilled white wine. With the complex flavors that these wines offer, there are endless opportunities for trying out new varieties and finding perfect matches for your favorite foods.

With more advanced winemaking techniques and a higher education of grape cultivation, the white wines are starting to improve immensely. In fact, there has been a more rapid improvement in the white wine sector than their red cousins. This makes current white wines a more than satisfactory choice any time of the year for nearly any meal. Many of these blends offer a deep and rich layering of flavors, aromas, and boldness. They can range from a simple refreshing and crisp appetizer teaser to a blend of earthy and fruity and truly seductive flavors.

Red wine drinkers often push off the bottle of red wine for the heavier, bolder, and fuller bodied taste of their favorite Cabernet. While some state that the popularity of red wine over white is based on the health benefits associated with the darker variety, this theory has been aptly rejected by the most distinguished white wine connoisseurs. Rather, white wine has often been considered to be a woman’s wine, something light and airy and even “delicate.” Yet white wines are equally as bold and as versatile as the reds without the gender assignment. More recently, high class liberals received the title of “white wine sipping suburbans” as if the color of the wine has everything to do with a status symbol.

Historically, white wine has fallen to the wayside in favor of reds. Initially, red wines were considered to be somewhat sacramental and for male hands only and whites could be eventually be poured for women. Over time, however, these theories were discarded and more even toned thoughts were applied to wine drinking.

White wine offers an oaky quality that can be rather strong for a red wine drinker. With the stronger oaky bites, many would be white wine drinkers promptly switched to red. Not all white wines are heavy on excessive oaky qualities and some are considerably smooth in comparison to the equivalent red cousin.

A high quality white wine is much less expensive than the equitable red. As red wines are required to age to be considered a drinkable and enjoyable beverage, white wines are better when they arrive on the shelf not long after processing. Instead of covering the cost of aging the wine in a specially made barrel, white wine comes in its most prime form straight from the winery. This reduction in cost has also been blamed for the higher status symbol that can be associated with the reds. Either way, a white wine drinker knows that each variety of white wine has a special and unique quality that offers the drinker a unique experience.

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