This list of the best white wines focuses on the grape varieties used to make the best white wines around the world. After grapes are grown, ripened, bottled and labelled they are shipped worldwide and end up in your local wine merchant or supermarket. Choosing the best white wines can be bewildering.
Choosing the Best White Wines:
– Pick the wine Character, which appeals to you.
– Note the grape variety.
– Find wines in your locality which are made using the grape variety you selected.
– Choose a selection of the best selling white wines within your budget to compare.
– Experiment with other labels and grape varieties until you find your favorites.
Chinchín, Santé, Prost, Cheers etc!
| Grape Variety | Origin | Color | Character | Cultivation / Grown | Best White Wines Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chardonnay | Burgundy, France | straw yellow | Delicately smoky nuances of walnut, cinnamon and caramel flavors, low acid. | Champagne, Australia, California, Italy. | Adaptable noble vine, up to 50% in Champagne. |
| Gewürztraminer | Southeast Europe | golden yellow | Fragrant aromas with lychee flavor. | Alsace, California, Baden, Austria. | The berries of this white wine are slightly reddish. |
| Gutedel | Switzerland | green-yellow | Light, fruity and dry table-grapes with almond bouquet, low alcohol and acidity. | Alsace, Turkey, Romania. | This old vine has been cultivated since 5000 BC. |
| Müller-Thurgau (Rivaner) | Rheingau, Germany | pale yellow | Mild, fruity and low in acidity, often with nutmeg aromas. | Rhine Palatinate, Franconia, Austria, Rheinhessen. | |
| Pinot Blanc (White Burgundy) | Burgundy, France | clear | Little aroma with a hint of lime blossom, strong acidity, high alcohol content. | Alsace, Baden, Switzerland, Italy (Pinot Blanco). | Base for sparkling wines and Champagne. |
| Pinot Grigio (Grey Burgundy) | Burgundy, France | golden yellow | Slightly fruity, low acidity, subtle smoky aromas of honey and almonds. | Italy, Baden (Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio), France (Pinot Gris). | Berries are initially reddish, the gray later. |
| Prosecco | Veneto, Italy | golden yellow | High acidity with a slightly bitter-nut flavor. | Province of Treviso in the Veneto region (Italy). | The name doesn’t stem from “secco” (dry) but from a village near Trieste. |
| Riesling | Mosel, Rhine Valley, Germany | golden yellow | Roses, peaches, apricots and almonds, high acidity and low in alcohol. | Mosel, Palatinate, Rheinhessen, Rheingau. | Best grape in cooler areas. |
| Sauvignon Blanc | Loire Valley, Sancerre, France | pale yellow | Dry and fresh, bouquet of gooseberries, fresh grass and tropical fruits. | France, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Argentina. | Coveted noble vine, also used for Bordeaux wines. |
| Silvaner | Austria, Germany | pale yellow | Elegant, racy with “earthy” bouquet and gooseberry aroma, strongly acidic. | Rheinhessen, Kaiserstuhl, Franconia, Palatinate, Austria. | |
| Trebbiano | Italy | straw yellow | Strongly acidic, low alcohol, little extract. | Italy, France. | Blend for Soave and Frascati. In Modena it is made into brandy. |