White wine
672 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.
Francis Ford Coppola - Director's Cut Chardonnay 2021
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Collection Chardonnay 2022
Charles de Fère - Crémant de Bourgogne Chardonnay Brut Grande Cuvée
A crémant made entirely from Chardonnay: white flowers, green apple, a fine, long mousse.
Gaja - Rossj-Bass Langhe DOC 2022
Cave des Amandiers - De Seyes Petite Arvine 2023
Aged in barrel without losing its edge: citrus, exotic fruit and wet stone.
Cave des Amandiers - Petite Arvine En Anzé Saillon 2023
Born on the limestone of Saillon: a taut Arvine, ripe citrus and fresh rhubarb.
Duvernay - Rully Les Cailloux Blanc 2024
Lemon, green apple, pebbly minerality: a straight, flavoursome Chardonnay.
Duvernay - Rully Cloux Louvrier Blanc 2023
Apple, pear and white flowers on a silky texture, this Rully plays on freshness.
Domaine Vaudoisey - Bourgogne Chardonnay 2023
Apple, pear and brioche, a round white Bourgogne kept straight by its mineral freshness.
Domaine la Renarde - Bourgogne Aligoté Blanc 2023
A saline, clean Aligoté, made for the aperitif and shellfish.
Domaine du Four Bassot - Rully En Varot Blanc 2023
A white Rully, round on the palate, straightened by limestone on the finish.
Domaine de la Roche Aiguë - Hautes-Côtes de Beaune La Lave Blanc 2023
Lemon and flint in a white from the Hautes-Côtes, cut from pure freshness.
Domaine de la Roche Aiguë - Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2023
Auxey-Duresses in white, a straight Chardonnay that improves in the cellar.
Château de la Roulerie - Coteaux du Layon Le P’tit Layon Blanc 2022
Peach, honey and honeysuckle, a tender Layon whose acidity keeps it far from heaviness.
Elena Walch - Gewurztraminer 2024
Lychee, rose and ginger: all the exuberance of Alpine Gewürztraminer.
Rocca Di Frassinello - Bianco 2022
Vermentino and Chardonnay in the Maremma, citrus, green apple, a clean palate.
La Scolca - Gavi deI Gavi Etichetta Bianca 2024
The benchmark Gavi, lively Cortese, green apple and limestone on the finish.
Feudi Del Pisciotto - Fico Bianco 2022
Peach, nectarine and white flowers, a Sicilian white to drink without ceremony.
Elena Walch - Pinot Grigio Castel Ringberg 2024
Pear, apple and white flowers, a Pinot Grigio tightened by its Alpine minerality.
Domaine du Mont d’Or - Johannisberg Siccus 2020
Stainless-steel tank, pure fruit, nectarine, lime and a clean, chalk-cut finish.
Cave Saint-Pierre - Petite Arvine Réserve Des Administrateurs 2022
Grapefruit, lime and that salty touch that is the signature of Valais Petite Arvine.
Cave Saint-Pierre - Heida Réserve Des Administrateurs 2022
Valais Païen in an ample style, pineapple, honey and almond on a high-altitude mineral frame.
Cave des Amandiers - Fendant 2022
Biodynamically farmed Chasselas, white flowers and flint, immediate drinkability.
Domaine Bonnardot - Ladoix Les Vris Blanc 2022
A white Ladoix that puts chalk and lemon ahead of the oak.
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.