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!

Huber-Verdereau, Bourgogne Cote D'Or Chardonnay,  2023

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Huber-Verdereau, Bourgogne Cote D'Or Chardonnay, 2023

60% is fermented and aged in stainless steel with the remaining 40% going into old oak. Bright...

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeHUB023

GrapeChardonnay

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Domaine Saumaize-Michelin, Saint-Veran, Les Creches, 2023

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Jancis Robinson
Domaine Saumaize-Michelin, Saint-Veran, Les Creches, 2023

Anchored at the foot of the Roche de Vergisson, by the village of Davayé, from two plots...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

Bottle75cl

CodeSAU823

GrapeChardonnay

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Agnes Paquet, Auxey-Duresses Blanc, 2023

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Agnes Paquet, Auxey-Duresses Blanc, 2023

From the oldest plot of vines on the estate, averaging 85 years of age. Matured in oak for 12...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

Bottle75cl

CodePAQ223

GrapeChardonnay

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Françoise & Denis Clair, St Aubin Blanc, 2022

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Françoise & Denis Clair, St Aubin Blanc, 2022

From a very calcareous site and given 10-15% new oak. White flowers and citrus, open and...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeCLB222

GrapeChardonnay

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Antoine et Laurent Robin, Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots, 2022

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Jancis Robinson
Antoine et Laurent Robin, Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots, 2022

Blanchots is the sole south-east facing Grand Cru, giving a longer ripening season – and...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeROB622

GrapeChardonnay

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Domaine des Chazelles, Vire Clesse, Vielles Vignes, 2022

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Domaine des Chazelles, Vire Clesse, Vielles Vignes, 2022

From a two-hectare sheltered plot on limestone, with vines between 50 and 100 years old...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeCHZ122

GrapeChardonnay

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Francoise & Denis Clair, Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc, 2022

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Francoise & Denis Clair, Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc, 2022

Picked last of his whites as the coolest site; aged in barrel, 10% new, for 10 months. White...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeCLB022

GrapeChardonnay

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Françoise & Denis Clair, Santenay Blanc,2022

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Françoise & Denis Clair, Santenay Blanc,2022

Santenay is becoming increasingly popular amongst drinkers seeking a generous and not too...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeCLB122

GrapeChardonnay

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Jean-Marie Chaland, Vire-Clesse, L’Epinet, 2022

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Jean-Marie Chaland, Vire-Clesse, L’Epinet, 2022

From a very small plot at the top of the slope, planted in the 1940s on gravel and red clay...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeSAB322

GrapeChardonnay

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Antoine et Laurent Robin, Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, 2022

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Jancis Robinson
Antoine et Laurent Robin, Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, 2022

From two parcels, one planted in 1954 and the other in 1982, in this top 1er Cru, which faces...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

ABV %

Bottle75cl

CodeROB522

GrapeChardonnay

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Domaine Saumaize-Michelin, Pouilly-Fuisse, Pentacrine, 2023

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Jancis Robinson
Domaine Saumaize-Michelin, Pouilly-Fuisse, Pentacrine, 2023

Named after the 5-sided marine fossils found locally, this wine is selected from three parcels...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBurgundy

ColourWhite

Bottle75cl

CodeSAU723

GrapeChardonnay

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Les Reuilles, Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc, 2024

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Les Reuilles, Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc, 2024
Les Reuilles, Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc, 2024

100% Sauvignon from Entre Deux Mers; classic expression of Sauvignon Blanc, a light fresh,...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionBordeaux

ColourWhite

ABV12.5%

Bottle75cl

CodeREU124

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