White wine
517 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.
Fenech - Maddalena 2020
A unique wine made from Malvasia from the island of Salina
Alheit Vineyards - Fire by Night 2023
A high-class Chenin blanc from old Swartland vines
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Sierra Grande Sauvignon Blanc 2021
A Sauvignon Blanc expressing the vibrant fruit of Chile's Central Valley combined with the elegance of its mountain terroir.
Barco Del Corneta - Barco Del Corneta Verdejo 2021
A wine full of talent filtered by minimalism and the pure expression of the terroir.
Marco de Bartoli - Sole e Vento Bianco 2023
Deux terroirs siciliens réunis dans un blanc frais, salin et intensément méditerranéen.
Marco de Bartoli - Pietranera Pantelleria 2023
Un zibibbo sec de Pantelleria, lumineux et salin. L’expression volcanique du cépage.
Luis Pato - Vinha Formal 2023
Un grand blanc de Bairrada, tendu par sa minéralité et étoffé par un élevage précis.
Luis Pato - Quinta do Ribeirinho Branco 2022
Un blanc de Bairrada rare, tendu et salin. Le Sercialinho y révèle une précision remarquable.
Ladeiras Do Xil - Gaba do Xil O Barreiro 2023
Un blanc de terroir galicien, frais et texturé. La Godello y gagne une élégante profondeur minérale.
Ladeiras Do Xil - Branco Santa Cruz 2022
Un grand blanc galicien de relief, entre profondeur granitique et fraîcheur saline.
Weingut Bründlmayer - Ried Loiserberg Erste Lage 2024
Un riesling de coteau vibrant, minéral et ciselé.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Zobinger Heiligenstein Lyra 2019
Un riesling de terroir, incisif et profond, où la pierre rencontre l’éclat du fruit.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Ried Heiligenstein AR 2020
Un riesling de terroir profond et lumineux, où la puissance des vieilles vignes rencontre une minéralité incisive.
Weingut Bründlmayer - Langenloiser Steinmassl 2019
Un Grüner Veltliner de terroir, vibrant de fraîcheur saline et de profondeur.
Weingut Bründlmayer - G. V. Ried Lamm Erste Lage 2021
Un Grüner Veltliner de grande profondeur, où l’ampleur du lœss rencontre une fraîcheur minérale vibrante.
Weingut Bründlmayer - G. V. Langenloiser Alte Reben 2022
Un Grüner Veltliner de vieilles vignes, ample, épicé et porté par une fraîcheur saline.
Weingut Bründlmayer - G. V. Kamptal Terrassen 2024
Un Grüner Veltliner de terrasses, vif et poivré, où le fruit rencontre une fine tension minérale.
Villa Oliveira - Encruzado 2019
Un Encruzado du Dão profond et ciselé, entre richesse de texture et fraîcheur granitique.
Villa Oliveira - 2e Edição NV
Un blanc du Dão profond et tendu, porté par la fraîcheur granitique de la Serra da Estrela.
Schloss Johannisberg - Silberlack Trocken GG 2023
Un grand riesling sec du Rheingau, profond, salin et intensément ciselé.
Schloss Johannisberg - Rosalack Auslese 2021
Une Auslese de Riesling suave et ciselée, où la richesse du fruit rencontre la fraîcheur du Rheingau.
Schloss Johannisberg - Purpurlack BA (37.5cl) 2023
Une Beerenauslese de riesling somptueuse, où la richesse du fruit confit rencontre une fraîcheur ciselée.
Schloss Johannisberg - Grünlack Spätlese 2022
Un riesling moelleux et vibrant, où la douceur du fruit rencontre l’éclat minéral du Rheingau.
Schloss Johannisberg - Goldlack Trocken 2020
Un riesling de Rheingau ample et tendu, où la maturité du fruit rencontre une finale saline.
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.