White wine is made from the alcoholic fermentation of the non-colored pulp of grapes, which may have a skin of any color. The wide variety of white wines comes from the large number of varieties, methods of winemaking, and ratios of residual sugar. White wine is mainly from "white" grapes, which are green or yellow in color, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. Some white wine is also made from grapes with colored skin, provided that the obtained wort is not stained. Pinot Noir, for example, is commonly used to produce champagne.
The process of making white wine involves harvesting the grapes, pressing the juice out of them, fermenting that juice using yeast, letting it mature, and then bottling the wine. The grapes are harvested as soon as possible to ensure freshness, and the juice is extracted from the grapes and put into tanks for fermentation, where sugar is transformed into alcohol by yeast present. The vast majority of the worlds white wine ferments in stainless steel tanks, while some, notably Chardonnay, may ferment in oak barrels.
White wines are often used as an apéritif before a meal, with dessert, or as a refreshing drink between meals. They are often considered more refreshing and lighter in both style and taste than the majority of their red wine counterparts. Due to their acidity, aroma, and ability to soften meat and deglaze cooking juices, white wines are often used in cooking.
