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.
Undurraga - Lazo Chardonnay 2024
An exotic, charming and easy-drinking Chardonnay!
Cousiño Macul - Chardonnay 2017
A Chardonnay from one of the oldest estates in Chile combining roundness, freshness and expression.
Barone di Villagrande - Etna Bianco 2024
An organic white wine from the volcanic soils of Etna, of rare elegance!
Domaine de Tournon - Landsborough Riesling 2017
A ripe and complex Australian Riesling, signed Michel Chapoutier
Schieferkopf - Silvaner Dry 2018
A wine from the Franken region, birthplace of the Sylvaner grape variety
Ziereisen - Gutedel 2022
A straight and saline Gutedel from the Markgräflerland, combining crystalline freshness and mineral finesse.
Tetramythos - Natural dry Muscat 2022
An elegant and straightforward expression of Muscat
Alheit Vineyards - Nautical Dawn 2023
A haute-couture Chenin blanc, embodying elegance and complexity
Crystallum - Clay Shales Chardonnay 2024
A single-plot Chardonnay that has the class of great Burgundies
Villiera - Rhine Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2005
A selection of noble Riesling grains made only once in the history of the estate
Ferraris - "Sensazione" Viognier 2021
A Viognier from Piedmont, focused on freshness and elegance
Monte Ilice Estate - Etna Bianco 2019
A white wine whose vines grow around an extinct crater of Etna
Alheit Vineyards - Cartology 2023
A high-class, elegant and distinguished white wine.
Fantini - Pinot Grigio 2023
A fresh and delicious Pinot Grigio that will delight your aperitifs!
Quinta de la Rosa - La Rosa White 2024
Thymiopoulos - Assyrtiko Young Vines 2023
An Assyrtiko from northern Greece combining tension, fruit and salinity.
Rijk's - Private Cellar Chenin Blanc 2020
A Chenin blanc combining elegance, intensity and aromatic richness
Delicato Wines & Alex Gittins - Shadow Point Chardonnay 2023
Le chardonnay californien version moderne, citron jaune, texture onctueuse et finale fraîche.
Equinox Wines - To Maike and the Rest 2022
A Chenin Blanc with short maceration which brings texture, complexity and freshness
Far Niente - Chardonnay 2023
A rich, elegant and beautifully balanced Chardonnay
False Bay - Slow Chenin Blanc 2022
A pure and digestible Chenin blanc with notes of ripe fruit
Cullen - Moon Opposite Saturn Harvest - Sauvignon Blanc 2018
A complex and tense Sauvignon Blanc, made from biodynamic farming
Lourens Family Wines - Skuinskap Steen Chenin Blanc 2023
A refined Chenin Blanc, both luminous and deep, reflecting the terroir of the Cape mountains.
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.