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.
Dr Loosen - Urziger Wurzgarten Dry GG AR 2022
A great dry Mosel Riesling, precise, spicy, and deeply mineral, from the spectacular Urziger Würzgarten hillside.
Dr. Loosen - Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett 2024
An airy and precise Moselle Riesling, where the gourmet fruit meets vibrant minerality.
Dr Loosen - Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese 2023
A Moselle Riesling that is both intense and ethereal, where sweetness marries a vibrant freshness.
Dr Loosen - Kinheimer Rosenberg Trocken GG 2023
A dry Mosel Riesling with precise minerality, combining aromatic purity and a mouth-watering finish.
Dr Loosen - Graacher Domprobst Dry GG 2023
A dry Moselle terroir Riesling, precise and mineral, combining aromatic intensity and great finesse on the palate.
Dr Loosen - Erdener Treppchen Kabinett 2024
A precise and ethereal Mosel Riesling, where delicate sweetness meets crystalline freshness.
Dr Loosen - Erdener Treppchen Auslese 2024
A Mosel Auslese combining refined sweetness, crystalline tension and the mineral purity of the red slate from Erdener Treppchen.
Dr Loosen - Beerenauslese 2018
A Mosel Riesling Beerenauslese of great purity, where the luscious richness is balanced by a vibrant acidity.
Haynes - Corazon 2021
A precise and vibrant Coombsville Chardonnay where freshness, aromatic purity, and textural finesse converge.
Hartenberg - Eleanor Chardonnay 2019
A precise and elegant South African Chardonnay, where the freshness of the Stellenbosch terroir meets a lovely, gourmet richness.
Escarpment - Chardonnay 2020
A precise and vibrant New Zealand Chardonnay, where cool-climate freshness meets lovely textural depth.
David & Nadia - Skaliekop 2022
A Chenin Blanc from Swartland with sharp minerality, precise and saline, built for gastronomy.
David & Nadia - Rondevlei 2022
A precise, saline Swartland white, where freshness highlights the purity of the Rondevlei terroir.
David & Nadia - Plat'bos 2022
A precise and saline Swartland Chenin, where the purity of the fruit meets remarkable mineral tension.
David & Nadia - Hoë-Steen 2022
A precise and saline coastal Chenin Blanc, where the depth of the Swartland meets the freshness of the Atlantic.
Christophe Abbet - Hermitage 2020
A spacious and luminous Valais hermitage, where the richness of Marsanne meets the freshness of the Fully hillsides.
Christophe Abbet - Arvine 2020
A precise and saline Valais Petite Arvine, where a sharp freshness meets a beautiful mouthfeel.
Elizabeth Spencer - Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A precise and refreshing Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, combining aromatic intensity and great drinkability.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars - Aveta Sauvignon Blanc 2023
A precise and vibrant Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, where freshness meets beautiful aromatic intensity.
Seresin Estate - Sauvignon Blanc 2023
A precise and vibrant Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, combining maritime freshness, aromatic purity, and a lingering saline finish.
Seresin Estate - Chardonnay 2022
A precise and vibrant Marlborough Chardonnay, where fruit ripeness meets maritime freshness.
Catena Zapata - Adrianna White Stones 2023
A great Argentinian high-altitude Chardonnay, precise, mineral, and with remarkable tension.
Catena Zapata - Adrianna White Bones 2023
A great high-altitude Argentinian Chardonnay, taut, mineral, and deeply marked by its Gualtallary limestone terroir.
Borgogno - Derthona 2023
A Piedmontese Timorasso with character, combining mineral depth, amplitude, and great freshness.
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.