White wine
759 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.
The Sadie Family - Mev. Kirsten 2024
An old-vine Chenin Blanc from the Jonkershoek Valley, broad, dense and built for ageing.
The Sadie Family - Rotsbank 2024
A finely chiselled Chenin Blanc, born on a granite slab in the Paardeberg, taut and remarkably long.
Blandy's - Vintage Malmsey 1981
A dense, fresh 1981 Malmsey, aged thirty-seven years in canteiro, with notes of exotic woods and honey.
Cave des Amandiers - Heida 2020
A savagnin from Valais, from Fully and Leytron, aged in foudre, floral, exotic and beautifully lively.
Blandy's - Vintage Malmsey 1991
A mahogany 1991 Malmsey, both sweet and fresh, with notes of spice, dried fruit and toasted wood.
Blandy's - Vintage Malmsey 1988
A mahogany 1988 Malmsey, aged twenty-five years in canteiro, between dried fig, coffee and citrus peel.
Blandy's - Vintage Malmsey 1996
An exuberant, very rich 1996 Malmsey, with notes of candied fruit, old brandy and honey.
Blandy's - Vintage Bual 1920
A 1920 Bual aged for a century in casks and then demijohns, of rare concentration and complexity.
Blandy's - Vintage Bual 1994
A round, generous 1994 Bual, with notes of vanilla, cinnamon and toasted biscuit.
Blandy's - Vintage Verdelho 1982
A mahogany 1982 Verdelho, exuberant and concentrated, with notes of old rum, spice and cedar.
Cossart Gordon - Vintage Bual 1978
A 1978 Bual from Calheta, foot-trodden and aged more than forty years in canteiro, powerful and fresh.
Blandy's - Colheita Malmsey 2007
A 2007 Malmsey both very rich and fresh, between marmalade, candied fruit and hazelnut.
Blandy's - Vintage Sercial 1990
An ethereal, dry 1990 Sercial, aged more than thirty years in canteiro, between bitter orange and walnut.
Blandy's - Colheita Bual 2008
A delicate, balanced 2008 Bual, with notes of dried fruit, vanilla, tea and exotic woods.
Blandy's - Colheita Bual 2010
A medium-sweet Bual from the south coast, dense and silky, with notes of vanilla, dried fruit and spice.
Blandy's - Colheita Malmsey 2010
A rich, velvety 2010 Malmsey, with notes of candied fruit, brioche and honey.
Blandy's - Colheita Verdelho 2009
A medium-dry 2009 Verdelho, intense and briny, combining spice, dried fruit and lovely salinity.
Blandy's - Colheita Verdelho 2010
A medium-dry Verdelho from the north coast, fresh and saline, with notes of apple jelly and candied fruit.
Blandy's - Colheita Sercial 2009
A dry, saline Sercial from the 2009 vintage, between candied citrus, dried fruit and iodine touches.
Blandy's - Colheita Sercial 2010
A dry, lemony colheita with notes of candied citrus and saffron, bottled in 2023.
Blandy's - Verdelho 40 ans
A medium-dry Madeira with an average age of forty years, vibrant and saline, with notes of cedar and candied fruit.
Blandy's - Sercial 10 ans
A dry, lively Madeira, a blend with an average age of ten years, with notes of candied citrus and almond.
Blandy's - Bual 5 ans
A medium-sweet Madeira from the south coast, with notes of raisins, toasted walnuts and vanilla.
Antonio Madeira - Branco 2023
A white from the Dão led by Encruzado, fresh and saline, with notes of yellow fruit and flowers.
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.
Oysters and seafoodFruity and round white
Ripe white fruits, roundness, mellow acidity. The consensual profile around a table.
Fish and poultryAromatic white
Expressive nose of flowers, lychee or spices. Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Muscat.
Spicy food and cheesesFull-bodied & woody white
Oak aging: vanilla, hazelnut, creamy texture. Age-worthy Chardonnay.
Dishes in sauceSweet and dessert wine
Residual sugars, aromatic richness. Loire Chenin, Jurançon, Sauternes.
Foie gras and dessertsOrganic & sulfite-free
Organic or biodynamic farming, no or minimal added sulfites.
In every profile
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 | Typical pairing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.