Santa Margherita

It is impossible in just a few lines to make a comprehensive list of grape varieties and their characteristics, considering both their number (there are over 400 just in Italy) and the different ways they taste depending on the area, terroir  and production techniques.
Limiting ourselves only to the most important and famous ones, we can cite:
White-skinnned grape varieties
Grown around the world
Variety    Production area    Taste characteristics
Chardonnay    Of French origin (Burgundy is the premium area), but grown all over the world to make all kinds of wines (still/sparkling – varietal/blend – unoaked/oaked).    Characteristic aromas of ripe white fruits (bananas, apples); good structure and acidity. Extremely dependable.
Riesling (Rhine Riesling)    The top-quality variety of the Rhine and Moselle valleys, it is also to be found in Alsace, in Austria and in Italy, as well as in the cooler areas of the New World countries (New Zealand, South Africa, California).    An aromatic variety, it displays floral and citrus-like aromas when young, evolving towards spicy and decidedly mineral notes  (kerosene, petroleum) over time.
Sauvignon Blanc    Grown in cool areas, such as Bordeaux and the Loire valley in France, the Alto Adige and Friuli VG in Italy; it has developed a very interesting and distinctive style in New Zealand.    An aromatic variety, it gives wines with attractive hints of peaches and especially of aromatic and officinal herbs (sage, nettles, tomato leaves).
Moscato (Muscat)    Found in various types (Zibibbo in Pantelleria, Bianco di Canelli in Piedmont and in France), it reaches the heights when vinified as a sweet wine (Asti, various French Muscats).    A very aromatic variety thanks to the high level of terpenic compounds it contains. It gives the wine intense aromas  of flowers and sweet fruits.
Gewürztraminer    Cultivated in Alsace, Germany, the Alto Adige and Trentino, the North-Pacific states of the USA and New Zealand.    A highly aromatic grape, with scents of rose petals, grapefruit, lichees and spices.
Viognier    Originally from the Rhône valley (Condrieu), but now grown in many other countries. It develops its characteristic aroma only when fully ripe and needs good acidity to be well-balanced.    Evident aromas of ripe yellow fruits (apricots, peaches) and white flowers.
Chenin Blanc    Itexpresses itself at its best in its area of origin (Anjou and Vouvray in the Loire valley), but is also widely grown in other regions, with South Africa and New Zealand being among the most interesting.    A variety with very marked acidity, it is therefore suitable for producing wines both with varying levels of sweetness (dry/semi-sweet/sweet) and also very good aging potential.
Sémillon    The most widely grown grape in the Bordeaux region and used for the production of the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, it is also to be found in Australia (Hunter Valley) and in Washington State (North-Pacific USA).    Subject to attack by noble rot because of its particularly thin skin, it is therefore especially suitable for making sweet wines.
Malvasia    Grown all over the world under various names and in different biotypes, it makes wines with very varied characteristics, from dry to semi-sweet and sweet, from simple to highly aromatic, from still to semi- or fully sparkling, and from white to red (from the black-skinned varieties).    It is difficult to define its characteristics given its differentiation in many varieties. When it is white and aromatic  (the most widely grown) it gives wines with scents of flowers and citrus fruits, with hints of herbs.
Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris)    A grape that is particularly widely grown in the Regions of north-eastern Italy (Trentino AA, the Veneto and FriuliVG), it is known in Alsace as Tokay d'Alsace (an appellation that is no longer permitted), in Germany as Ruländer, in the Valais zone of Switzerland as Malvoisie and in Hungary as Szürkebarát. In view of its success, it is now cultivated in nearly all of the world’s wine regions.    If vinified in contact with the skins, it gives a copper-colored wine (as the grape skins are pink). A wine of considerable structure, even when vinified without the skins, it displays marked fruity perfumes (particularly of pears), which are especially persistent.
Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blanc)    A genetic variant of Pinot Nero and often confused with  Chardonnay, it is widely grown in France (Alsace), in Italy in Trentino Alto Adige, FriuliVG and Franciacorta, in the United States and in Australia.    Many characteristics that are similar to Chardonnay, including a natural predisposition for being made into sparkling wine. It makes wines that are particularly well-structured and delicately aomatic, as long as yields are kept low.