French White Wines
France offers the most varied selection of white wines of any country in the world: it’s all in the geography, and the complex matrix of north-south and east-west.
It’s not just a matter of the north being cool and the south hot; it’s the difference between maritime influenced climates to the west and continental climates to the east.
For example, despite being far north Alsace is surprisingly dry - Strasbourg is the second driest city in France after Perpignan! - protected as it is by the Vosges mountains to the west, and enjoys a pretty hot summer. By contrast Bordeaux, right on the bay of Biscay, can be on the receiving end of weather not dissimilar to Cornwall. Then there are regions cooled by proximity to mountains - Jurancon and Limoux, for example, both just north of the Pyrenees; and there’s the really hot zone along the Med in the arc from Marseille to Perpignan.
On the whole each region of France has its own cluster of grape varieties, best suited to its climate and soils: for example the Loire has Sauvignon Blanc grown in the eastern vineyards on calcareous soils, Chenin Blanc in the middle on tufa, and Melon de Bourgogne on the granitic vineyards of Muscadet. Bordeaux has Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon; Burgundy, Chardonnay; and in Alsace there is a bunch of grapes which are also grown in neighbouring Germany and Northern Italy: Pinot Gris (Grigio), Pinot Blanc (Bianco), Gewurtztraminer, plus Riesling. Throughout the Rhône valley, Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon the best results are with grapes able to take the summer heat: Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Rolle (Vermentino) and Macabeu. (Where Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are planted in the south the results tend, with few exceptions, to be poor). Then there are all sorts of weird and wonderful white grapes grown in the outlying areas, such as south-west France (Petit and Gros Manseng among others), Savoie and Jura.
When one considers that many of these wines come in unoaked and oaked styles, the diversity is breathtaking!
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Style
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Organic / Biodynamic
Vintage
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From organically farmed (and certified) vines, this is a long-established best-seller here,...
OriginFrance
RegionLoire
ColourWhite
ABV12.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeAUM122
GrapeSauvignon Blanc
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A blend of Colombard and Gros Manseng. A bright and engaging wine with notes of elderflower,...
OriginFrance
RegionSouth-West
ColourWhite
ABV11.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeSAL123
GrapeGros Manseng & Colombard
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This is a wine from a humble appellation but ambitiously crafted: the vineyard is managed for...
OriginFrance
RegionLoire
ColourWhite
ABV13%
Bottle75cl
CodeFOR422
GrapeChenin Blanc
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100% Picquepoul from this now-fashionable appellation. This local grape has the advantage of...
OriginFrance
RegionLanguedoc
ColourWhite
ABV13%
Bottle75cl
CodeLRS122
GrapePiquepoul
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This is a star barrel-fermented Chardonnay, from very low yields - less than half those in...
OriginFrance
RegionLimoux
ColourWhite
ABV13.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeBEG222
GrapeChardonnay
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From halves of Roussanne and Vermentino (Rolle), grown on limestone soils (the Calcaires), and...
OriginFrance
RegionLanguedoc
ColourWhite
ABV13.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeCSP422
GrapeRoussane & Vermentino
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Unoaked, this Chardonnay shows peach, apricot and citrus fruit flavours. Ripe and textured but...
OriginFrance
RegionLanguedoc
ColourWhite
ABV13%
Bottle75cl
CodeCSP122
GrapeChardonnay
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As usual this is more on the light, fresh, floral side of Viognier than more obviously weighty...
OriginFrance
RegionLanguedoc
ColourWhite
ABV12.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeCSP323
GrapeViognier
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“Full bottle a modest 1,155g and very stylish minimalist front label. Great design makes this...
OriginFrance
RegionPays d'Oc
ColourWhite
ABV13%
Bottle75cl
CodeCSP222
GrapeRolle
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From vines on the slopes above Milly, on white, hard chalk soils. Always creamy but with...
OriginFrance
RegionBurgundy
ColourWhite
ABV12.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeELS221
GrapeChardonnay
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A little known - and hard to pronounce - but delicious Gros Manseng from the same area as...
OriginFrance
RegionSouth-West
ColourWhite
ABV14.5%
Bottle75cl
CodeBAJ622
GrapeGros Manseng
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An aromatic and concentrated white from 60% Macabeu, 30% Vermentino and 10% Marsanne. A wine of...
OriginFrance
RegionMinervois
ColourWhite
ABV13%
Bottle75cl
CodeGRV623
GrapeMaccabeu, Vermentino & Marsanne