French White Wine

Pinot Blanc is often the overlooked grape in Alsace, but – especially in these warming times – its ability to hold onto crisp, refreshing, acidity is prized! Done all in tank, this shows pretty scents and flavors of... Read More

Organic/Bio Vincent Boyer has moved his old family estate to organic farming and now gives his wines two years elevage – one in 5-8 year-old barrel and a second in concrete egg. This wine, from sites in lower Meursault,... Read More

Organic/Bio What do Cognac makers drink for an aperitif or at lunch? Pineau des Charentes! And this is one of the very finest from Cognac's first organic estate. The wine starts with fresh, unfermented, juice from the Cognac... Read More

Smells great, tastes even better, crazy good price for high quality white Burgundy. That’s really what you need to know here, but we’ll try to give you a little more. It’s from vineyards on the Puligny border... Read More

In this very short harvest, there's a little more oak influence to Sylvain's village Puligny (not more new wood, but more second and third use barrels that needed to be kept full!). It just makes this lovely Chardonnay... Read More

I believe the technical tasting note for this wine, as approved by all the most serious wine writers, is: Hubba Hubba. There’s this thing white Burgundy winemakers do where they let the wine sit in the barrel on what’s... Read More

I certainly didn’t expect to write this, but Sylvain Bzikot’s 2023 village Puligny Montrachet is even better than his outstanding 2022 edition. It’s from several plots of vines above the village of Puligny including... Read More

This does just what good Languedoc Chardonnay is supposed to do: give you a nice dollop of Chardonnay varietal flavors with no oak or butter to get in the way of thirst-quenching delight. You’ll enjoy the sliced apple, crisp... Read More

There’s a good argument to be made that the best place in the world to make dry Chenin Blanc is Savennieres, on the north side of the Loire river across from Coteaux du Layon (where sweet wines reign). This is a benchmark... Read More

An utterly lovely white Burgundy reaching far beyond what you’d expect from Mercurey Chardonnay. It comes from a “monopole” vineyard of the Chateau and vines planted between 1961 and 1997. Wine Enthusiast describes... Read More

Organic/Bio Jura is famous for its oxidative whites, but that's not what's going on here! This is pure, fresh, and highly delicious Chardonnay from alpine vineyards with no noticeable oak influence at all. Delicious pear... Read More

Organic/Bio Pure, fresh, flavorful Sancerre grown organically and made all in cool stainless steel. There’s a lot going on here, with swirling aromas and flavors of white grapefruit, lemon, tangerine skin and the traditional... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV A stunning value in top-notch Muscadet from the important Chateau Thebaud Cru. Antoine Delaunay farms his vines organically, uses no sulfur in the winery until a tiny touch at bottling, and gives all his... Read More

Lower ABV I certainly wouldn’t try to tell the 2023 Chauveau Pouilly Fume La Charmette apart from a $40+ Sancerre when tasting blind. Not surprising: its from the same Sauvignon Blanc grapes, Kimmeridgian marl and limestone... Read More

Lower ABV Burgundy's other white grape shines here in a zesty wine with richness and vibrancy, cut and depth. Aromas and flavors of crunchy pear, white pepper, orange peel and salty stone sing out in a wine that balances roundness... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV Jeremie Huchet is making some of the most exciting wines in the western Loire region of Muscadet, including this generous example from vineyards on a hill overlooking the Maine River. It’s from organically... Read More

From a tiny, half-acre, plot of Chardonnay in the Beaune 1er Reversees 1er Cru just up the hill to the west of Beaune, this is the only white wine bottled from this mainly red wine vineyard. Farming here is certified organic and... Read More

Organic/Bio Just a short distance from Sancerre, Pouilly Fume showcases the smokier, gunflint, side of Sauvignon Blanc. Especially at this outstanding estate run by 8th generation winegrower Katia Mauroy-Gauliez working with some... Read More

Lower ABV Melon de Bourgogne grown on schist soils gives more cut, energy and freshness than pure limestone, and schist around 15 inches under the top-soil is the secret to this delicious seafood and sipping white. Green apple,... Read More

Organic/Bio Eric Bonnet took over his family estate in 1999, so he has 25 years of organic farming and careful winemaking experience behind him now. It shows in this challenging vintage as he's crafted a stunning white from... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV A blend of 60% Viognier, 25% Roussanne, 10% Clairette and 5% Bourboulenc, all planted by Vincent Boyer about 15 years ago and farmed organically. The ripe fruit is harvested in the early morning cool and... Read More

Lower ABV Think of Coteaux du Giennois as the front door to Sancerre (technically the “back door” since it’s down river, but that doesn’t sound nearly as good!). The limestone soils here were given over... Read More

Lower ABV It’s always tempting to refer to Sauvignon Blanc from the eastern Loire Valley as coming from “near Sancerre” to take advantage of that brand. And Menetou-Salon really is not far from Sancerre, just... Read More

Lower ABV There's a lot going on here if you want to geek out and try to describe it, but the top -line is that it's really good Chenin with a touch of barrel that goes down almost too easily. The flavors of quince, apple,... Read More

Lower ABV From old vines in one of the oldest named vineyards of Sancerre, this gets the full luxury treatment: old vines, organic and biodynamic farming, hand harvest, and fermentation and a full year’s aging in barrel.... Read More