Master Sommelier Richard Betts on White Wine

Master Sommelier Richard Betts of the Little Nell in Aspen talks about white wines and how to understand the names of white wines.

Master Sommelier Richard Betts on White Wine In talking about white wine, it’s important to remember or explore that there re so many different possibilities. Lots of different flavors that can do different things for you in your meal and your day in your life things to explore different pairings and possibilities we are going to talk about some of those. I have been really fortunate to become a master sommelier. And there are abut 115 of us world wide today 17 or so in the country. To become a master sommelier I think the most important ingredient that you have to have is passion, you have to really care about it. It means being able to really answer any question about anything you eat, drink or smoke anywhere in the world and that comes through a blind tasting exam. You’re given six wines in 25 minutes to talk about what the wine is made from, what grape, where it was made, how it was made, when it was made, how is that aged and al that goes into that. If you are not a white wine drinker you owe to yourself to start learning about it because there is an extraordinary diversity of possibilities here with that comes a variety of names. So with white wines you have wines that are name after the place like Chabley, you know what is that? We don’t know where the grape it’s just from the title if you will but they just comes some learning’s and some understanding that Chabley are from burgundy what had you. Or the wine might just be called shardoneigh or the wine might be called champagne which is if it’s not a Rose or white wine sparkling white wine which is made from white and red grapes but in the region of champagnes. So essentially you will have a wine that’s either named for the region or it’s named for the grape. And then there is a third little possibility where it's given like a fantasy names like Batar for example as a white wine from Tuscany just an example. Once you drink white wine you know my answer is always. I drink white wine probably everyday. Sometimes I just drink white wine at lunch; sometimes I drink if before going to dinner. There are no really hard and fast rules that it has to proceed red you know generally because they can tend to be a little bit later, your pallets is more open your more open to understanding them and having what they have to say. The accessible to you if you have it before red wine but there is no hard and fast rule. They can be also great aperitif, things that sort of set the stage. So you sit down at the dinner or when you are cooking dinner like generally I am, I always have a glass of white wine. Then because you know it’s just refreshing and it's fun and it makes you salivate and makes your stomach crumble, makes you want to eat more, makes you want to drink more and it's a great way to serve and lead into it. The chardonnay still the darling white wine of the world for people and a variety of styles from really bright and lean and to more full body that oak driven, generally speaking like there in California to somewhere in between the two with that and what have you, and all over the over the Napa and in the other places. And they range from completely affordable and fun like Vegas and Dallas are great wine that I enjoy it from Spain a lot. It's chardonnay, it's just a little bit oaky, approximate California it completely affordable around $10.00 a bottle. So well chardonnay is still very much the darling of the white wine drinking world, there is whole host of other possibilities from the around the world. Lots of exciting flavors and textures and things to explore things from Italy like Tokaj is amazing thing that are coming in our shores more and more, Reboldejalah which is means the yellow of it can be a world class quality so rich and anxious like chardonnay but quite special this like Vermentino. Also liberal, light and bright and fun, great partner in the food, it's a thing from France like the Rouson are big and rich white wines of really amazing quality but still relatively unheard of here. It's a lot of fun things to play with in Spain Abarinos are other one taste like a Sauvignon Blanc with everything combined, dry and white and bright and grey with all the fish there. So there are a number of things you can explore and have fun with. When thinking about food and wine pairing, I think about having it every meal no matter what. But with that said there are certain things that it goes better within and or that is more synergist with. So oysters are a classic pairing you know grown in the region up in burgundy. The soil is actually made of decompose oyster shells, so sort of some make some scented or actually go with the oysters. But part of that comes from the acidity and it being light and bright sounds there. Again Sauvignon Blanc from the valley goes great with the local goat’s cheese there, there is a classic combination. And then chardonnay, the richer more full body chardonnay are classic with veal preparations, chicken preparations sometimes a little bit heavier, sometimes it's mushrooms what have you. But they can be just completely synergist and really special. One of the things that I hear a lot in the restaurant is like I don’t drink white wine, I just drink red wine or the commerce you know, and I just drink white wine. You know your leaving half of the possibilities out you know there I so much to be have there. And I am a big believer that there surely something for everyone there. And then if you just fine when you like it will be a bridge to another and another and another and another. Until you avail of yourself of all the possibilities and then it becomes fun because you cater to your mood, in your own want and in your own desires, more specifically I want to light and bright way like a sauvignon blanc or as big as a chardonnay. But if you don’t try or you don’t experiment with them you will never know what’s out there to enjoy.