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.
Lourens Family Wines - Skuinskap Steen Chenin Blanc 2023
A refined Chenin Blanc, both luminous and deep, reflecting the terroir of the Cape mountains.
Panos Sarris - Avithos muscat sec 2024
A fragrant and elegant muscat from pre-phylloxera muscat vines
Vineka - Verdeca 2024
A white wine that embodies the sunny and vibrant character of Puglia
Domaine Jean-François Bouthenet - Maranges Sur Le Chêne Blanc 2022
A white Maranges with a creamy texture, held by a lively acidity.
Creation - Viognier 2024
Cool-climate Viognier, apricot and white flowers on an unctuous palate.
Duckhorn - Chardonnay 2021
A rich and suave Chardonnay from the cool corners of Napa Valley
Koerner - Leko Blanc 2021
A Jura grape variety in the south of Australia, who would have thought it?
Undurraga - Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A fresh and crisp white wine ideal for your summer aperitifs or around a seafood platter!
E's Vino - Chardonnay 2024
A Chardonnay from the high-altitude terroirs of Gualtallary, combining tension and minerality
Matetic - Sauvignon Blanc EQ Coastal 2022
A taut Sauvignon Blanc, with aromas of citrus and sea spray.
El Porvenir - Alto de Los Cuises Chardonnay 2022
A round and balanced wine, expressing the typicality of Tannat
Caelum - Fiano Gran Reserva 2020
Mediterranean brilliance in Andean terroir, combining freshness, complexity and timeless refinement
Shaw & Smith - Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay 2021
The great precision of SHAW & SMITH single-plot Chardonnay
Jean-Yves Péron - I Vicini Favorita 2022
La Favorita is honored in its most natural version
Patz & Hall - Chardonnay Dutton Ranch 2018
A Chardonnay that embodies the finesse and complexity of the Russian River Valley
Duvernay - Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé Blanc 2024
Peach, jasmine and minerality: Rully Chardonnay in its premier cru version.
Domaine Cachat-Ocquidant - Ladoix Blanc 2024
Ladoix in white, apple and pear on a chalk that holds the finish.
Domaine Cachat-Ocquidant - Bourgogne Chardonnay 2023
Apple, pear and toast, a round white Bourgogne lifted by its liveliness.
La Famille K - Le Père Blanc 2018
Alheit Vineyards - Broom Ridge 2019
A high-class Chenin blanc from old Swartland vines
Riebeek Cellars & Ryno Booysen - Percheron Blanc 2021
A vibrant and aromatic white wine for immediate pleasure
Stellenrust - Kleine Rust White 2020
A white full of freshness with intense notes of tropical fruits.
Montecrocetta - Recioto di Gambellara "Passitaia" 2005
A Recioto di Gambellara of great richness, where concentration is balanced by remarkable freshness
Joostenberg - Chenin Blanc 2019
A South African Chenin blanc with notes of white fruit and the chalky character typical of the Paarl vineyards
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.