White wine
753 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.
Antonio Madeira - A Liberdade 2023
A high-altitude white from the Serra da Estrela, concentrated and crystalline, made with no added sulphites.
Niepoort - Moscatel do Douro 20 ans
A fortified Muscat from the Douro, mellowed by twenty years in old casks, between orange peel and dried fruit.
Niepoort - Caracolete 2015
A white from Bairrada aged five years in tank, taut, mineral and scented with orange blossom.
Niepoort - Redoma Reserva Branco 2023
Niepoort's great historic white, born of vines over 80 years old on the high-altitude schists of the Douro.
Niepoort - Tiara 2023
A granite-grown white at 600 metres in the Douro, chiselled, herbal and remarkably pure.
Quinta de la Rosa - White Port
An extra dry white port from Quinta de la Rosa, fresh, exotic and perfect as an aperitif.
Anselmo Mendes - Curtimenta 2023
An alvarinho from Monção e Melgaço macerated on its skins and barrique-aged, broad, mineral and distinguished.
Castellucci Miano - Shiarà Catarratto 2020
A high-altitude catarratto from the Contea di Sclafani, lively, saline and scented with citrus.
Giulia Negri - Langhe Chardonnay La Tartufaia 2023
A high-altitude chardonnay from La Morra, taut and creamy, shaped by sixteen months of ageing on the lees.
Moric Project Villa Tolnay - Hidden Treasures n°2 Somló Kis Tamás 2022
Moric and Kis Tamás on the volcanic butte of Somló: a chiselled, saline white of rare elegance.
Zoltan Demeter - Kakas Furmint 2023
A dry Furmint from the Kakas cru, on the rhyolites of Bodrogkeresztúr, delicate, mineral and elegant.
Gaia - Nychteri 2024
Gaia's Nychteri: a barrel-fermented Assyrtiko from Santorini, smoky, mineral and generous.
Gaia - Assyrtiko Wild Ferment 2025
An Assyrtiko from Pyrgos fermented with wild yeasts, between volcanic minerality and acacia notes.
Gaia - Ritinitis Nobilis
A high-quality retsina, with a subtle balance between grape, lemon and Aleppo pine resin.
Fernando de Castilla - Manzanilla Classic
A manzanilla from Sanlúcar aged under a veil of flor: saline, chiselled and remarkably refined.
Autòcton Celler - Autòcton Blanc 2020
A Xarel-lo from old vines in the Montmell, floral and saline, with great Mediterranean freshness.
Barco Del Corneta - La Sillería 2021
A Verdejo from 150-year-old ungrafted vines, broad, saline and remarkably deep.
Rafael Palacios - Sorte O Soro 2023
A single plot of Godello at 710 metres, on granite and schist: Rafael Palacios's great white.
Rafael Palacios - Sorte Antiga 2023
A plot of century-old, ungrafted Godello, vinified on its skins like the old Galician brisados.
Kabola - Amfora Malvazija 2020
A Malvazija macerated for six months in buried Georgian amphorae, deep, mineral and lightly tannic.
Rafael Palacios - As Sortes 2024
Rafael Palacios's benchmark Godello, from six old granite plots in the Val do Bibei.
Kabola - Unica Malvazija 2020
A skin-macerated Istrian Malvazija, broad and mineral, aged for a year in large oak foudres.
Moric - Sankt Georgen Grüner Veltliner 2021
A Grüner Veltliner from limestone and schist, dense and vibrant, born at the foot of the Leithagebirge.
Zorah - Voski 2023
An Armenian white from ungrafted vines at 1,400 metres, lively and floral, aged in raw concrete tanks.
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.