White wine
482 wines in cellarA white wine is chosen based on two axes: tension (acidity, which refreshes) and texture (richness, which fills the mouth). A simple, iodized dish calls for a crisp, saline white; a dish in sauce calls for a full-bodied white, sometimes aged in barrel.
Filter by profile, by grape variety, or by the dish you are serving. The FAQ answers our most frequently asked questions.
David & Nadia - Topography White 2020
A Chenin full of elegance with seductive mineral notes
Crystallum - The Agnes 2024
A pure, elegant and balanced Chardonnay which once again demonstrates the great class of South African wines.
Acústic Celler - Montsant White 2019
A Catalan vintage made from old vines aged 40 to 80 years old
Wittmann - 100 Hills 2023
A biodynamic riesling full of lightness and freshness straight from Germany
Dorrance - Cuvée Anais 2023
A round and voluptuous Chardonnay that recalls what Burgundy does best!
Castellucci Miano - Miano Catarratto 2024
A superb Silica white with exotic and mineral notes.
Van Volxem - Schiefer Riesling 2022
A vintage that will work wonders on your summer meals and seafood platters!
Tetramythos - Malagousia Nature 2023
A Malagousia from the terroirs of the northern Peloponnese
Balassa - Tokaji Furmint Duck 2023
A vibrant and fruity version of Furmint, Hungary's iconic grape variety.
Domaine de Tournon - Mathilda white 2019
A Viognier and Marsanne blend, aromatic, fresh and crunchy
Aneto - Branco Reserva 2021
An elegant, ample and distinguished white wine from the Douro Valley
Valenciso - Valenciso White 2021
A wine combining texture, balance, minerality and elegance.
Panos Sarris - Panochori Old Vines 2023
Robola, the other great white grape variety of the Greek islands
Lourens Family Wines - Lindi Carien 2022
A precise and complex blend from the emblematic terroirs of Cape Town
Vesevo - Greco di Tufo 2022
A vintage marked by tension and minerality, typical of Tufo wines
Quinta Das Maias - White 2022
A crisp, fresh and original high-altitude white wine
Groot Constantia - Chardonnay 2021
A great Chardonnay regularly rewarded by international competitions
Thistle & Weed - Brandnetel 2022
The 2nd Chenin of the estate, from a single plot in Stellenbosch
Veramonte - Chardonnay 2023
Vinified naturally, this is an exotic, smooth and fresh Chardonnay.
Matias Riccitelli - Old Vine From Patagonia Sémillon 2023
A great Sémillon from Patagonia!
Alheit Vineyards - Cartology 2019
A high-class, elegant and distinguished white wine.
Winzer von Erbach - Erbacher Michelmark Riesling Spätlese 2015
A dry and distinguished Riesling from the Rheingau, made from grapes picked at a late harvest
Greywacke - Wild Sauvignon Blanc 2021
A Sauvignon Blanc out of the ordinary, complex and tasty
False Bay - Crystalline Chardonnay 2022
A vintage full of life made Biodynamically!
Which white wine for which taste?
The profile is more useful for purchase than the region: it describes what the wine does in the mouth, and therefore what it will pair with.
Bright white & mineral
Frank acidity, notes of citrus and flint, saline finish. Sauvignon, Riesling, Assyrtiko.
62 bouteillesFruity and round white
Ripe white fruits, roundness, mellow acidity. The consensual profile around a table.
154 bouteillesAromatic white
Expressive nose of flowers, lychee or spices. Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Muscat.
45 bouteillesFull-bodied & woody white
Oak aging: vanilla, hazelnut, creamy texture. Age-worthy Chardonnay.
39 bouteillesSweet and dessert wine
Residual sugars, aromatic richness. Loire Chenin, Jurançon, Sauternes.
33 bouteillesOrganic & sulfite-free
Organic or biodynamic farming, no or minimal added sulfites.
186 bouteilles
White grape varieties in the catalog
The grape variety provides the structure, the climate gives the style. This table cross-references the two.
| Grape variety | Profile | Dominant aromas | Standard agreement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chardonnay | Round with ample | Citrus, butter, hazelnut | Creamed poultry, fish in sauce |
| Sauvignon Blanc | Lively | Boxwood, citrus, passion fruit | Goat cheese, seafood |
| Riesling | Lively | Lemon, green apple, petrol notes | Asian cuisine, fish |
| Chenin Blanc | Lively to mellow | Quince, honey, chamomile | Poultry, bloomy rind, foie gras |
| Assyrtiko | Lively and saline | Lemon, flint, iodine | Grilled fish, shellfish |
| Viognier | Sufficient | Apricot, white flower | Mild curry, roast chicken |
| Albariño | Lively | White peach, saline note | Seafood, raw fish |
| Gewurztraminer | Aromatic | Lychee, rose, sweet spices | Munster, spicy cuisine |
Which white wine for which dish?
The rule: the wine's acidity must match the fat or iodine in the dish. The richer the dish, the more body the white wine should have.
| The dish | The right profile | The grape varieties | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oysters, shellfish | raw, briny seafood | Lively and saline | Muscadet, Assyrtiko, Albariño |
| Grilled Fish | lean meat, lemon | Lively | Sauvignon, Assyrtiko, Picpoul |
| Fish in sauce, risotto | fat, cream | Full-bodied, sometimes oaky | Chardonnay, Chenin, Viognier |
| Goat cheese | lactic acidity | Vibrant and botanical | Loire Sauvignon |
| Asian cuisine, spicy | sugar, chili, ginger | Aromatic, off-dry | Riesling, Gewürztraminer |
| Creamed poultry | white meat, sauce | Full-bodied and woody | Barrel-aged Chardonnay |
| Appetizer | olives, deli meats | Lively and light | Picpoul, dry Riesling, Albariño |
| Foie gras | bold, sweet-savory | Soft | Loire Chenin, Jurançon |
What we look for in a white wine
A "grand blanc" is not a powerful white wine, it's a tense white wine. Acidity is the backbone; without it, even a very aromatic wine falls flat by the second glass.
This tension is sought where it is natural: Assyrtiko on the volcanic ashes of Santorini, Mosel Riesling, Chenin from Anjou schists, Albariño facing the Atlantic. Fresh terroir wines, often under €20.
Three mistakes we see all the time
Serving too cold. At 4°C, a white wine has no aromas left. Aim for 8-10°C for a crisp white, 11-13°C for a full-bodied white: take it out of the fridge ten minutes beforehand.
Believing that white wines don't age. A Riesling, Chenin, or a terroir-driven Chardonnay can benefit from five to ten years in the bottle.
Confusing dry and acidic. A wine can be dry and round, or slightly sweet and very crisp. Sugar is not the enemy: imbalance is.
The Baroudeur team, Lyon
Everything we're asked about white wine
Which white wine should I choose when I don't know anything about it?
Start with the dish. A simple, iodized dish (oysters, grilled fish) calls for a crisp white wine: Sauvignon, Picpoul, Assyrtiko. A dish with sauce calls for a full-bodied white wine: Chardonnay, Chenin, Viognier. Between €12 and €18, the choice is already very wide.
What is the difference between a dry white and a sweet white?
The amount of sugar remaining in the wine after fermentation. A dry wine contains less than 4 g/l, an off-dry up to 12 g/l, a sweet wine up to 45 g/l, and a dessert wine beyond that. A sweet white wine is not necessarily heavy: the best ones retain a lively acidity that balances the sugar.
At what temperature should white wine be served?
Between 8 and 13°C depending on the style. A crisp, light white is served at 8-10°C, a full-bodied or oak-aged white at 11-13°C. Served too cold, a white wine loses its aromas; this is the most common mistake.
Which white wine with oysters?
A dry, lively, saline white, unoaked: Muscadet sur lie, Picpoul de Pinet, Santorini Assyrtiko, Albariño. Avoid oaked whites, whose vanilla clashes with the iodine.
Can a white wine age?
Yes, when it has acidity, body, or sugar. Riesling, Chenin, and terroir-driven Chardonnay, as well as dessert wines, improve over five to twenty years. White wines without significant acidity should be drunk within two years.
How long does an open bottle of white wine last?
Three to four days re-corked in the refrigerator. A sweet white wine keeps longer due to its sugar content. Re-cork with the original stopper or a vacuum pump, and remove the bottle from the fridge before serving.