White wine
243 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.
Château de Sárospatak - Tokaji Szamorodni Száraz 1996
A collector's dry Tokaji, aged for three years under flor like a vin jaune, between fresh walnut and smoke.
Paul Cluver - Riesling WO Elgin 2024
A chiselled, mineral Riesling from Elgin, between lime and citrus blossom, with a touch of natural sugar.
Francesco Brigatti - Colline Novaresi Mottobello Erbaluce 2024
An Erbaluce from Alto Piemonte, floral and saline, which its winegrower nicknames the reddest of white wines.
Château de Sárospatak - Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2021
A great Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos, rich and luminous, where sweetness rests on vibrant acidity.
Blaise Duboux - Dézaley Grand Cru AOC Cuvée Corniche 2024
A floral, saline Dézaley grand cru, a Chasselas with a flinty imprint, born facing Lake Geneva.
Blaise Duboux - Epesses AOC Lavaux Sursum Corda 2022
A round, velvety Chasselas from Epesses, with indulgent melon fruit, born on the terraces of Lavaux.
Pierre Elie Carron - Petite Arvine Pierra Plata AOC Valais 2022
A Petite Arvine from dry-stone terraces, between exotic fruit, grapefruit and a saline finish.
Blaise Duboux - Calamin Grand Cru AOC Cuvée Vincent 2022
A racy, mineral Calamin grand cru, a Chasselas for ageing that reveals the full depth of its terroir.
Pierre Elie Carron - Completer Mazembroz AOC Valais 2021
Completer, an extremely rare Valais grape variety, aged for a year in barrel on an alluvial fan in Fully.
Terras Gauda - Albariño Abadia San Campo Rias Baixas DO 2024
An intense, vibrant Albariño from Rías Baixas, between grapefruit, pineapple and white fruit.
David Moreno - Rioja Blanco 2022
A Viura from old high-altitude vines in the Najerilla, fresh and fruity, with a texture refined on the lees.
Av Bodeguers - Elitia White DO Emporda Solera
A fortified Garnacha Blanca from Empordà, aged in solera and demijohns, between walnut, honey and candied citrus.
Bodega Santa Ema - Chardonnay 2023
An unoaked Chilean Chardonnay bursting with tropical fruit, at once fresh, round and indulgent.
Gritsch - Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2021
A Grüner Veltliner Smaragd from the terraces of Spitz, ripe and peppery, which has gained depth with time.
Trossen - Trabener Riesling Royal Süß Auslese 2020
A Moselle Auslese picked berry by berry in the Würzgarten: luminous sweetness, vibrant acidity.
Trossen - Trabener Riesling Spätlese Trocken 2022
A dry Moselle Riesling from very ripe berries: tension, finesse and a minerality that runs straight and true.
Hallgartener - Riesling Auslese Jungfer 2018
A Rheingau Riesling Auslese, sweet and finely chiselled, where ripe fruit is balanced by vibrant minerality.
Jordan Estate - Sauvignon Blanc Chameleon WO Stellenbosch 2025
A lively, vibrant Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc, between tropical fruit and the freshness of cut grass.
Saragat - Vermentino Isola dei Nuraghi 2024
A luminous, saline Sardinian Vermentino with scents of rosemary and elderflower, made for the sea.
Scions of Sinai - Gramadoelas Grenache Blanc WO Klein Karoo 2024
A Grenache Blanc from the Klein Karoo's schists, made without artifice: floral, saline and rarely elegant.
Meloni - Malvasia di Cagliari DOC Bio 2011
An organic sweet Sardinian Malvasia, fresh and exotic, which has kept all its liveliness over the years.
Meloni - Nasco di Cagliari 2008
A late-harvest sweet white from the ultra-rare Sardinian Nasco, with a thousand shades of aromatic herbs.
Pupillo - Solacium Moscato di Siracusa Passito DOC 2022
A Moscato passito from Syracuse made from grapes overripened on the vine, with candied apricot, honey and sweet spices.
Pupillo - Pollio Moscato di Siracusa DOC 2022
The historic Muscat of Syracuse, delicately sweet, floral and fresh, which livens up an aperitif as well as cheese.
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.