Just be sure to check the label carefully because they do make sweeter styles of this wine. You should pick up on citrus, quince, pear, honeysuckle, green apples and ginger, with a slight earthy flavour. Pinot Gris is a white wine that tastes sweeter than it is. Dry and off dry styles have become really popular in New Zealand these days. Italian style Pinot Grigio tends to be crisp and minerally, while the French Pinot Gris is usually fruity and dry. In New Zealand you’ll see both of these names, often depending on the style the winemaker is going for. The French call it Pinot Gris, but the Italians call it Pinot Grigios. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are actually the same wine. The perfect match for picnics & casual drinks This fresh dry white wine is also the perfect partner to semi-hard cheeses like gouda or salty feta. Try it with fish tacos, caesar salad, seafood risotto or mussels. Great food to enjoy with AlbariñoĪlbariño is wonderful with white fish and meat. This wine is designed to be enjoyed while it’s young and fresh.Īlbariño is tipped as the next big thing to hit the New Zealand wine scene. You’ll probably taste grapefruit, honeysuckle, apricot and sweet melon.

The driest white wine on our list is Albariño and it comes from Spain and Portugal, (the Portuguese call it Albariñho by the way).Īlbariño is bone dry and refreshingly sharp - perfect for sipping on a hot day. Its complex flavours really help to lift a dish. Sauvignon Blanc is also a favourite for using in cooking. If you just want a wine to go with your Fish and Chips, Sav Blanc is just the thing. Grilled fish is also fantastic, or a salad with goats cheese, asparagus and avocado. Seafood works really well with Sauvignon Blanc too, especially if you match the zingy flavours of the wine with a citrus or garlic marinade. This wine is great with a Thai takeaway - green curry chicken is the bizz. This dry white wine is known for its tarty zing. If you buy a slightly older Sauvignon Blanc you might taste nectarines, passion fruit or even red capsicum. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc styles are usually fully dry, but this is balanced out by their fruity flavours and a hint of freshly cut grass. Just like the rest of the world, we Kiwis adore Sav Blanc, and we make heaps of it. Sauvignon BlancĪlthough Sauvignon Blanc isn’t the driest white wine on our list, it makes sense to start here, since it’s so popular. Things should become clearer as we give you a taste of the six dry white wine types that Kiwis love most.

You can find out more about tannins in our wine tasting guide.ĭon’t worry if that all sounds a bit confusing. That ‘dry’ feeling is actually caused by tannin. A strongly perfumed wine will fool your taste buds into thinking that it’s sweet, when it’s actually classed as dry.īut what about those wines that seem to pull moisture from your cheeks? They must be dry, right? Nope. Fruity wines often taste sweeter than they actually are.

The dryness of the wine also depends on the style the winemaker is aiming for, the grape and where it is grown.īut dry white wine can be tricky. The amount of sugar is important for the structure of the wine. Bone dry wines have even less than that, and off-dry wines have slightly more. In the case of dry white wines, most of the sugar is eaten up by the yeast and turned into alcohol.Ī wine with less than 10 grams of sugar per litre is called dry. What makes dry white wine dry?Ī wine’s dryness is all about residual sugar - that’s the amount of sugar left behind after fermentation. Use the links above to skip ahead or hang around to find out some basic tips about dry white wine. We’ll talk about: Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Riesling. To help you choose the perfect dry white wine for your taste, we’re going to give you a quick rundown of the six most popular dry whites consumed in New Zealand. And there’s nothing worse than buying a bottle that you don’t enjoy. But how do you know which wines are dry? Choosing the right wine can be confusing. If you’re not a massive fan of sweet drinks, dry white wine is probably going to be a hit. That’s great news if you’re watching your diet.

These wines don’t just taste fantastic, they have slightly less alcohol and less sugar. Dry white wine is typically fresh and crisp - the perfect drink for summer barbeques and fun with friends.

Best dry red wine for drinking