White wine
666 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.
Christophe Abbet - Marsanne 2019
An old-vine Marsanne from Valais, broad and chiselled. Granite gives it its mineral brilliance.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Kamptal Terrassen 2024
A precise, luminous terrace Riesling, between yellow fruit and mineral freshness.
Oremus - Aszu 6 puttonyos 2013
A deep, luminous Tokaji Aszú, where sweetness meets bright acidity.
Golan Heights Winery - Yarden Sauvignon Blanc 2022
A lively, sunny Golan Sauvignon Blanc with volcanic freshness. A touch of oak gives it relief.
Golan Heights Winery - Yarden Chardonnay Odem 2022
A high-altitude Chardonnay, broad and vibrant. The freshness of the Golan meets the finesse of French oak.
Golan Heights Winery - Gamla Chardonnay 2023
A Chardonnay from the northern Golan, fresh and nuanced. Ripe fruit meets a fine touch of French oak.
Villa Bucci - Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio 2024
A precise, saline Verdicchio, carried by an elegant almond finish.
Terre à Terre - Crayères Vineyard 2021
A Wrattonbully Sauvignon Blanc, at once chiselled, deep and delicately oaked.
Tapanappa - Tiers Vineyard 1.5 M 2022
A Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay, at once intense, chiselled and deeply textured.
Ridge Vineyards - Montebello Chardonnay 2020
A mountain Chardonnay, at once broad, mineral and vibrant.
Ridge Vineyards - Grenache Blanc 2024
A precise Californian white, between orchard fruit and limestone minerality.
Ridge Vineyards - Estate Chardonnay 2023
A mountain Chardonnay, ample and luminous. Californian freshness in a finely oaked expression.
Marco de Bartoli - Sole e Vento Bianco 2023
Two Sicilian terroirs brought together in a fresh, saline and intensely Mediterranean white.
Marco de Bartoli - Pietranera Pantelleria 2023
A dry Zibibbo from Pantelleria, luminous and saline. The volcanic expression of the grape.
Luis Pato - Vinha Formal 2023
A great white from Bairrada, made taut by its minerality and fleshed out by precise ageing.
Luis Pato - Quinta do Ribeirinho Branco 2022
A rare white from Bairrada, taut and saline. Here Sercialinho reveals remarkable precision.
Ladeiras Do Xil - Gaba do Xil O Barreiro 2023
A fresh, textured Galician terroir white. Here Godello gains an elegant mineral depth.
Ladeiras Do Xil - Branco Santa Cruz 2022
A great Galician white with relief, between granite depth and saline freshness.
Weingut Bründlmayer - Ried Loiserberg Erste Lage 2024
A vibrant, mineral and chiselled hillside Riesling.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Zobinger Heiligenstein Lyra 2019
A terroir Riesling, incisive and deep, where stone meets the brilliance of the fruit.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Ried Heiligenstein AR 2020
A deep, luminous terroir Riesling, where the power of old vines meets incisive minerality.
Weingut Bründlmayer - Langenloiser Steinmassl 2019
A terroir Grüner Veltliner, vibrant with saline freshness and depth.
Weingut Bründlmayer - G. V. Ried Lamm Erste Lage 2021
A Grüner Veltliner of great depth, where the breadth of loess meets vibrant mineral freshness.
Weingut Bründlmayer - G. V. Langenloiser Alte Reben 2022
An old-vine Grüner Veltliner, broad and spicy, carried by saline 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.
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.