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White Wine

White wine is made from both white grapes and red grapes so long as the pulp is colourless. If the skins are red, all contact with the skin has to be avoided in order to produce the white wine. The grapes are de-stemmed and crushed before being pumped into a wine press to squeeze out all the juice. The juice is then clarified before being moved into vats to ferment.

Maceration, contact with the skins, with white grapes is uncommon and only used when a winemaker wishes to extract flavour from the skins. This is called a cold soak and is only ever implemented for a few hours. Macerated white wines have a deeper colour.

Many wine regions produce great white wines but the more famous tend to come from the Loire valley, Burgundy and Bordeaux in France. Key white grape varieties include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Sémillon and Riesling. There are many more all with distinctive characteristics.

You can roughly put dry white wines into three main taste categories: Light & crisp, fruity & supple and full-bodied whites.

Light and crisp whites denote easy drinking. These are refreshing and floral with fruity notes but with no complexity. Maçon-Villages, Bourgogne Aligoté, Petit Chablis and Apremont fall into this category. Drunk best with simple dishes but also with fried fish, oysters, mussels, and charcuterie. It is unlikely that these wines will age well so drink young. Serve at 8°C.

Fruity and supple white wines are fresh and full of fruit, quite often with citrus notes. Wines from Chablis, Pouilly-Fumé, Pouilly-Fuissé, Graves and Sancerre are amongst others in this bracket. They usually go well with shellfish, many seafood dishes and charcuterie.

Full-bodied whites have a degree of complexity and class. Rich and creamy still with a lovely freshness, these wines tend to be matured in oak casks where they pick up notes of vanilla and toast. Many great wines are in this category including Meursault, Chablis premier & grand cru, Corton-Charlemagne, Puligny-Montrachet and Montrachet from Burgundy as well as Vouvray of the Loire Valley and wines from Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux. Well-suited for high-end dining, these wines go excellently with lobster, delicate fish, white meats, creamy sauces and creamy cheeses to name a few. Serve a little warmer than the others at 10-12°C.

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  1. 'Les Sarres' Domaine Rijckaert, Côtes du Jura, 2009

    'Les Sarres' Domaine Rijckaert, Côtes du Jura, 2009

    France, Jura, Arbois | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    "The maestro of the Mâconnais continues to turn out an impeccable range of delicious, honest and racy... Read More
    £13.49
  2. Bernhard Ott, Am Berg Gruner Veltliner, 2011

    Bernhard Ott, Am Berg Gruner Veltliner, 2011

    Austria, Wagram, Am Berg | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    Not content with a conversion to biodynamism in the vineyards, which he reports is already proving effective... Read More
    £12.49
    £141.99
  3. Château Martet Blanc, Sainte-Foy Bordeaux, 2011

    Château Martet Blanc, Sainte-Foy Bordeaux, 2011

    France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée | White Wine
    Château Martet lies just south of the Dordogne between Castillon-le-Bataille and St Foy-La-Grande, just... Read More
    £11.99
    £68.49
  4. Claudie Jobard, Rully Blanc Montagne La Folie, 2010

    Claudie Jobard, Rully Blanc Montagne La Folie, 2010

    France, Burgundy, Rully | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    The village of Rully is a reliable source of good and affordable Burgundy, both red and white, and Claudie’s... Read More
    £18.49
  5. Clotilde Davenne, Chablis, 2011

    Clotilde Davenne, Chablis, 2011

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    If you prefer wines where the fruit is not allowed to be obscured by oak, then you should try the wines... Read More
    £16.49
    £93.99
  6. Clotilde Davenne, St Bris, 2009

    Clotilde Davenne, St Bris, 2009

    France, Burgundy, Saint Bris | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    If you prefer wines where the fruit is not allowed to be obscured by oak, then you should try the wines... Read More
    £11.49
  7. d'Arenberg The Lucky Lizard Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, 2008

    d'Arenberg The Lucky Lizard Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, 2008

    Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    An easy going Chardonnay bursting with tropical fruit aromas, pear, peach and hazelnut with hints of oak on the palate... Read More
    £15.39
  8. d'Arenberg The Lucky Lizard Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, 2010

    d'Arenberg The Lucky Lizard Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, 2010

    Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    Another beautiful and creamy white from d'Arenberg, the famous Australian winery. It is medium-bodied... Read More
    £15.39
    £92.34
  9. Jean-Paul Brun, Beaujolais Blanc Classique, 2011

    Jean-Paul Brun, Beaujolais Blanc Classique, 2011

    France, Beaujolais, Beaujolais, Beaujolais Blanc | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    This delicious Chardonnay shows that Jean-Paul Brun's efforts with with this grape rival those of many... Read More
    £12.99

    Regular Price: £148.99

    Special Price: £139.99

  10. La Croix Denogent, Pouilly-Fuissé, 2009

    La Croix Denogent, Pouilly-Fuissé, 2009

    France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé | White Wine | Bottle (0.75)
    A beautiful white Burgundy. A wonderful silky texture flows along the palate with a well-worked acidity... Read More
    £22.49

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