White wine
511 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.
Cantina Cellaro - Lumà Grillo 2025
A Sicilian wine with delicate flavors of Grillo, a local white grape variety
Zeni - Soave Classico Vigne Alte 2023
An identity and mineral wine from the Soave terroir
Niepoort - Vinho Verde Dócil 2025
A devilishly refreshing white wine from the North of Portugal with a beautiful minerality!
Gaia - Notios White 2022
The sun of Greece united in this vintage full of freshness!
Wildeberg & JD Rossouw - The Capeography Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A clean and refreshing Sauvignon from the Elgin region
Zoumberakis - Vidiano Nature 2025
A fresh and tasty wine made from Vidiano, a great white grape variety from Crete
Southern Right - Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A pure, straight and mineral Sauvignon Blanc with astonishing complexity.
d'Arenberg - The Stump Jump White Blend 2025
A superb blend of 4 white grape varieties which results in an aromatic vintage full of freshness
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Las Cruces Sauvignon Blanc 2022
A crisp and intense Sauvignon Blanc, from the cool terroirs of Chile
Amalaya - Amalaya Torrontes & Riesling 2023
An aromatic Torrontes, subtly blended with the freshness of Riesling
Fernlands - Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A New Zealand Sauvignon blanc, lively, fragrant and typical of the region
San Marzano - Edda White 2024
A Chardonnay from Puglia with surprising flavors
El Esteco - Don David Reserve Torrontes 2022
A fresh and aromatic Torrontes, from vines perched at an altitude of 1800 meters.
D'Arenberg - The Olive Grove 2021
A beautiful chardonnay with a balanced and intense structure that delights and seduces the taste buds!
Pete's Pure - Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Citron vert, herbe coupée et fruit de la passion, un sauvignon croquant à boire frais.
San Marzano - Timo Vermentino 2025
A fresh and mineral Vermentino, from vineyards located on the edge of the Adriatic Sea
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
Pikes - Hills & Valleys Riesling 2025
A subtle and classy Riesling with citrus and white fruits.
Listening Station - Chardonnay 2021
A Chardonnay made with the tension and freshness of the fruit
Atamisque - Serbal Viognier 2024
A beautiful high-altitude Viognier full of freshness and deliciousness!
Simonsig - Chenin Blanc 2021
An intense and mineral Chenin blanc from Stellenbosch
Atamisque - Catalpa Chardonnay 2023
A fine and delicious Chardonnay with fine notes of stone fruits and fresh almonds, take note for lovers of Burgundy whites!
460 Casina Bric - Ansi Langhe Arneis 2023
A unique white wine made from Arneis, an indigenous white grape variety from Piedmont
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.
Huîtres et fruits de merFruity and round white
Ripe white fruits, roundness, mellow acidity. The consensual profile around a table.
Poissons et volaillesAromatic white
Expressive nose of flowers, lychee or spices. Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Muscat.
Cuisine épicée et fromagesFull-bodied & woody white
Oak aging: vanilla, hazelnut, creamy texture. Age-worthy Chardonnay.
Plats en sauceSweet and dessert wine
Residual sugars, aromatic richness. Loire Chenin, Jurançon, Sauternes.
Foie gras et 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 | 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.