Rainbow of whites

Despite the fact that there are hundreds of grape varieties out there, most of us focus on just a handful of popular grapes which we recognise and enjoy. But there are dozens more which could add new tastes and provide better food and wine matching if we only gave them a chance.

Here are a few white grapes which you may not have tried recently and some suggestions of foods to try with them.

Albario

Suddenly becoming fashionable, Albario is the star of Spanish white grape varieties. It grows mainly in the Ras Baixas region of Galicia in north west Spain where it develops apricot and peach aromas, with a soft, creamy texture and fresh acidity. Good versions also have a streak of minerality. Normally it is unoaked and because of its delicious texture it goes wonderfully with food such as scallops, sea bass and salads. One to try: Martin Cdax Albario 2008, 8.99 on multibuy at Majestic.

Chenin Blanc

This is a grape with a split personality, both of them good, but sometimes it is difficult to know what style of wine you are buying. It grows well in the Loire Valley where it can make crisp, bone-dry wines, with just a touch of honeyed quince in the flavour. Given the right conditions it will ripen to the point where a mould grows over the berries, shrivels them, trapping the most delicious concentrated nectar inside. When this juice is made into wine it is vibrant with acidity and sweetness and can last for decades. Chenin also grows well in South Africa where it makes good, dry wines with minerally grip.

Drink dry versions with goat's cheese and fish, while demi-sec wines go well with roast pork.

Wines to try: Raats Chenin Blanc 2006, South Africa, Harrogate Fine Wine 12.99. Domaine Huet Le Mont demi-sec 2002 Vouvray, Waitrose, 21.99

Fiano

An ancient grape from southern Italy which re-appeared on the popular wine scene just a few years ago and is now being planted across Sicily and even in parts of South Australia. It has an extraordinary waxy texture, which, coupled with its light greengage and apple flavours make it extremely food friendly. Drink with salmon, salads and cold meats.

One to try: Tesco Finest Fiano, IGT Sicilia 5.98

Gewrztraminer

A grape that smells like Turkish delight and rose petals, wrapped up in spice. It grows particularly well in Alsace in France where it can make fine late-harvest wines, but it also grows in pockets around the world including Chile and New Zealand. The classic combination is Gewurztraminer with smoked fish and onion tart but the real match in recent years is Asian foods where the light spice of Thai or Chinese foods is off-set by the delicious spice of the grape.

One to try: Cono Sur Vision Gewurztraminer "Block Las Colmenas" 2009, Chile, Majestic 6.95 on multibuy

Grner Veltliner

Austria's signature white grape variety with a distinct full-bodied style and a minerally, white-pepper flavour. This is a really good wine for food matching because its weight and style makes it particularly good with all kinds of foods, from simple grilled fish to weightier fish in sauce and with white meats such as pork, and grilled chicken.

One to try: Haidviertel, Grner Veltliner, Pfaffl, 2004, 13.40 Field and Fawcett, York (01904 489073)

Marsanne

Fashionable in the Rhne and now across the south of France but also grown in Australia, this is a grape with honeysuckle fragrance, acacia honey and nutty overtones. It combines structure, weight and generous alcohol to give a wine that can age well and can accompany sushi, scallops and rice dishes.

One to try: Paul Mas Estate Marsanne 2009, Majestic 8.99

Muscat

The intense perfume of the Muscat grape is so overwhelming that it is like nectar and its perfume carries through into the wine, smelling and tasting like freshly crushed grapes. Muscat comes in several forms, of which Muscat Blanc Petits Grains is the best, but most Muscats make headily aromatic wines, many of them sweet. Muscat appears as Moscato in northern Italy where it is made into Asti; it is sweet and golden in Muscat de Beaumes de Venise in the South of France and in Australia it becomes a fortified wine in Liqueur Muscat.

The most surprising Muscat wines are the dry ones, made as a simple dry wine in Portugal, Austria and South Africa. Smelling sweet and tasting dry, these make good wines to accompany lightly spiced foods. Heavier Muscats such as the Australian Liqueur Muscats are fabulous with chocolate puddings.

One to try: Essencia Orange Muscat 200, Andrew Quady, California, Majestic 9.99 a half bottle

Riesling

Pronounced Reece-ling, not Rise-ling, this is the grape variety which is on most wine merchants' favourite list, but it is just too difficult to sell. Top Rieslings are fabulously complex with strange-sounding flavour descriptions that take in petrol forecourts, smoke and perfume, all backed up with vibrant acidity. But

the world just doesn't appreciate this style of wine, so you get great value for money if you try them. Riesling goes wonderfully with fish, particularly if it comes with a hollandaise or butter sauce. Try it with lobster, scallops and stir-fries. One to try: Tesco Finest Tingleup Riesling 2008, Great Southern, 8.16

Viognier

A grape variety which could be mainstream if everyone manages to say it properly. It is much easier than it looks – vee-ong- nee- ay – and the taste is even easier.

Soft with the aroma and taste of apricots, sometimes with broader stone fruit flavours such as peach, it can be poised, crisp and full of flavour in Condrieu in the Rhne or it can be clean and light as a Vin de Pays from the south of France.

Australia started to plant Viognier 20 years ago and now produces some of the most reliable examples. Pour it with summer salads, especially if there is some chopped peach among the lettuce leaves, but it can also be enjoyed on its own.

One to try: Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2008, Australia, Nidderdale Fine Wine 7.99 (01423 711703)

YP MAG 8/5/10