What is your white wine style? Do you prefer a fleshy, floral pinot gris, an oak-influenced chardonnay, a zesty riesling, or perhaps a more full-bodied roussanne-marsanne blend? There are so many tempting options. With the calendar flipping to May, white wines rightfully gain a more prominent spot in our food pairing and entertaining decisions. Here is a diverse range of white wines to meet many varying preferences.
Amalaya 2024 Blanco Torrontés-Riesling
If you enjoy a pretty, floral note in your wines, Torrontés is a grape for you. Considered Argentina’s signature white grape, Torrontés is extremely aromatic, with notes of white blossoms, pears, and even some freesia from time to time. At Amalaya, based in the high-elevation region of Salta, the Torrontés is blended with a bit of riesling, typically 15 per cent. This addition provides lively acidity and backbone to the blend, as Torrontés can be a touch heavier on the palate.
The winery ferments the wine at a low temperature to retain freshness. This vintage shows flavours of apricot, white peach, white blossom, lime, pear, and some flinty elements. It is light- to medium-bodied on the palate, with a pleasing finish. It is also vegan-friendly.
Price: About $20. It has been sold at Cork Fine Wine, Liquor and Ale, Spirits West in Bragg Creek, Vinestone Wine Co. in Cochrane, Willow Park Wines & Spirits, Wine and Beyond, and Zyn the Wine Market.
Drink: Now. Try it with a fruit salad, Vietnamese takeout, or grilled shrimp. Screw cap; 13 per cent alc./vol.
Synchromesh 2025 Riesling
After basically losing a crop following the devastating 2024 winter freeze that struck the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, Synchromesh is back with a lineup of 2025 wines led by its legendary rieslings. While the winery produces other wines, the Dickinson family, which started the business in 2009, is truly powered by riesling. From their quiet spot near Okanagan Falls, they produce a lineup of stellar single-vineyard rieslings grown around Okanagan Falls and on the Naramata Bench.
This bottle is their entry-level wine, made with grapes grown in the Naramata, Okanagan Falls, and Oliver areas. It is brimming with acidity to help balance the medium-dry sugar level. The vibrant flavours include lime, lemon, apricot, orange, and green apple.
Price: About $30. The 2025 is just being released and is expected to arrive in select Calgary shops in the next few months. It can also be ordered from the winery. Stores that have sold the wine before include Cellar Door in Canmore, Crown Cellars, Liquor Haven, Oak and Vine in Inglewood, Vine Arts, and Zyn the Wine Market.
