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.
Pisano - Cisplatino Torrontés 2025
A Uruguayan Torrontés chiselled by Atlantic breezes, floral and lively, with a delicately saline finish.
Bogle - Chardonnay 2023
A Californian Chardonnay from Clarksburg, creamy and fresh, between white fruit, vanilla and a hint of toast.
Errázuriz - Sauvignon Blanc Estate 2024
A Sauvignon Blanc from the Aconcagua Valley, aged on the lees, fresh, thirst-quenching and bursting with citrus.
De Martino - Legado Chardonnay 2022
A coastal Chardonnay from the Limarí Valley, grown on limestone soils, creamy and saline.
Catena - Chardonnay 2024
A high-altitude Chardonnay from Mendoza, rich and taut, aged twelve months in French oak barrels.
Alamos - Torrontés 2024
A Torrontés from Cafayate, grown above 1,400 metres, explosive on the nose, lively and mouth-watering on the palate.
Altos las Hormigas - Blanco 2025
A high-altitude white from the Uco Valley, from old pergola-trained vines, juicy, textured and fresh.
Hartenberg - Chardonnay 2022
A creamy Chardonnay from Stellenbosch, aged ten months in French barrels, between peach and toasted brioche.
Hartenberg - Doorkeeper Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A Sauvignon Blanc from Stellenbosch harvested at dawn, fresh, taut and bursting with passion fruit.
Hartenberg - Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A juicy, lively Sauvignon Blanc from Stellenbosch, born on the red gravels of the Bottelary Hills.
Giannikos Winery - Retsina
An organic retsina from Corinth, resinated the old-fashioned way with pine resin from the estate.
Giannikos Winery - At Sea 2024
An organic Roditis from the Isthmus of Corinth, invigorating and saline, between lemon, melon and thyme.
Luis Pato - Vinhas Velhas Branco 2024
An old-vine white from Bairrada, incisive and broad, with an almost saline freshness.
Casa da Passarella - Abanico Reserva Branco 2021
A white from the Dão grown on granite, round and fresh, where four native grape varieties blossom after long ageing.
Luis Pato - Maria Gomes 2025
A lively, chiselled white from Bairrada by Luis Pato, with scents of citrus and white flowers.
Barbeito - Duas Pipas Reserva (med dry)
An extremely rare medium-dry Madeira, born of two casks of Bastardo, creamy, deep and vibrant.
Barbeito - Tinta Negra 3 ans (dry)
A dry Madeira from Tinta Negra, lively and saline, between toasted almond, dried fruit and light smoke.
Planeta - La Segreta Grillo 2025
An organic Sicilian Grillo from Menfi, fresh and luminous, with scents of citrus and Mediterranean herbs.
Giacomo Fenocchio - Roero Arneis 2025
A Roero Arneis from Monteu Roero, sapid and floral, with hints of broom and chamomile.
Borgogno - Era Ora Riesling 2024
An organic high-altitude Riesling, perched at 500 metres above Alba, taut and mineral.
Agriverde - Riseis Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2025
An organic Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, fresh and lively, with scents of orchard fruit and verbena.
Zárate - El Palomar 2024
The oldest known Albariño vineyard: 150 years of roots in the granite of the Val do Salnés.
Agriverde - Riseis Pecorino 2025
An organic Pecorino from the hills of Ortona, lively and aromatic, with a delicately saline finish.
Zárate - Albariño 2025
A finely chiselled Albariño from the Val do Salnés, tautened by granite and carried by Atlantic salinity.
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.