White wine
156 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.
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Las Cruces Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A crisp and intense Sauvignon Blanc, from the cool terroirs of Chile
Amalaya - Amalaya Torrontés & Riesling 2023
An aromatic Torrontés, subtly blended with the freshness of Riesling
Wildeberg & JD Rossouw - The Capeography Chenin Blanc 2023
A Chenin Blanc built on fruit and the minerality of Paarl's soils
Wildeberg - Coterie Semillon & Sauvignon 2021
A Sémillon-Sauvignon blanc marriage, round and complex
Magpie Estate - The Last Stand Chardonnay 2023
A lively and lively Chardonnay from South Australia!
Kamanterena - Xynisteri Dry 2024
Xynisteri, Cyprus's emblematic white grape, in a fresh, fruity version from the hills of Paphos.
Wildeberg & JD Rossouw - The Capeography Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A clean and refreshing Sauvignon from the Elgin region
Listening Station - Chardonnay 2021
A Chardonnay made with the tension and freshness of the fruit
Santa Julia - La Oveja Torrontés Natural 2021
A Torrontés worked without added sulfur and without chemical inputs
Domaine de Tournon - Mathilda blanc 2019
A Viognier and Marsanne blend, aromatic, fresh and crunchy
Valenciso - Valenciso Blanco 2021
A wine combining texture, balance, minerality and elegance.
Thistle & Weed - Brandnetel 2022
The 2nd Chenin of the estate, from a single plot in Stellenbosch
Nik Weis - Urban Riesling 2019
A pure and crisp Riesling from the Moselle Valley
Thistle & Weed - Khakibos 2021
A unique blend of 5 white grape varieties, found in the four corners of Cape Town
Lantides - Little Ark White 2019
A fine and refreshing wine from southern Greece, with exotic and mineral notes
Domaine de Tournon - Landsborough Riesling- 2017
A ripe and complex Australian Riesling, signed Michel Chapoutier
Schieferkopf - Silvaner Trocken 2018
A wine from the Franken region, birthplace of the Sylvaner grape variety
Delicato Wines & Alex Gittins - Shadow Point Chardonnay 2023
Californian Chardonnay in its modern version: lemon, unctuous texture and a fresh finish.
La Famille K - Le Père Blanc 2018
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.
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.