White Wine

Our range of white wines

If you didn’t know it already, you might be surprised by the eclectic variety of different white wine styles around France - from the fresh and fruity through to the fuller or sweeter, and with every flavour or style in between.  French white wines can accompany each and every occasion;  many can be enjoyed by themselves while nearly all can be enjoyed with particular foods.

In general, each viticultural region has its own style and will often use specific local grapes:  for instance Chardonnay in Burgundy, Sauvignon in the Loire, Pinot Gris in Alsace and so the list goes on…

But if you should like some particular advice, you have only to call us and we will be very happy to help you.

The White Wines of Alsace

If you like the dryness of French wines but also enjoy the fruitiness of German wines, then Alsace could provide you with some good options.  They are much appreciated by aficionados but because they lean towards a more fruity style, some people will shy away from such overt flavours. 

Here, it is the name of the grape variety that is the most important and you will find here grapes such as Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Muscat and Gewürztraminer to mention but a few.  Then the name of the producer is important as each will have his own style and price.  At the top end there are a handful of Grand Cru vineyards that produce small quantities of high quality juice from the “noble” grapes of Riesling or Gewürztraminer.  And then there are the late-harvested sweet wines, and at the top, Sélection de Grains Nobles which is made from individually picked late harvested grapes and these can rank with the finest wines from Sauternes.

The White Wines of Bordeaux

At the heart of the Aquitaine region lies the great viticultural area of Bordeaux, where you can find light fruity white wines from the Entre Deux Mers and Graves regions as well as sweeter wines from areas such as Sauternes, Barsac and Loupiac.  Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle are the grapes used.

The White Wines of Burgundy & Chablis

When one thinks of Burgundy, inevitably one thinks of the Chardonnay as the grape variety that makes the vast majority of fine dry wines here.  White Burgundy is produced between Chablis in the north, through to the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, then southwards to the Côte Chalonnaise, and to Mâcon at its southern end.   The Chardonnay has a natural freshness and softness of style and it is not always oaked in the way that other warm countries have been doing over some time, often giving the grape a less than good reputation. All the greatest whites such as Montrachet, Meursault and Chablis Grand Cru are produced from Chardonnay!

The White Wines of Provence, Languedoc and the South West

The regions of the south of France and more especially the Languedoc-Roussillon produce some excellent dry white wines of good value such as Viognier or Picpoul de Pinet or, closer to Bordeaux, Bergerac Sec.  Because of the relative warmth of climate, the wines can have a slightly fuller style but with modern technology, fresh vibrant and exciting wines are now possible.

The White Wines of the Côtes du Rhône

The Côtes du Rhône region is best known for its red wines. Nevertheless several white wines of this region merit being tasted. The white wines of the Côtes du Rhône are produced from grape varieties such as Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc and Viognier producing in general dry and slightly spicy whites that can be great with richer meats.

The White Wines of the Loire

75% of the wines produced along France’s longest river, the Loire, are white. The principal grapes are Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon or the Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet):  Loire whites are appreciated for their diversity of style.  In particular, the Chenin is very adaptable and produces sparkling as well as dry, medium and sweet wines.