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Rosé may be relegated to one "season," but a glass of white wine remains pretty damn timeless. A hot summer's day? There's a crisp, clean Sauvignon Blanc for that. A hearty, creamy, wintertime pasta? You'd probably be game for a buttery, rich Chardonnay. And so on and so forth. Which brings us to this—a round-up of our favorite classic bottles of white, plus introductions to some less recognizable varietals that are about to become your new favorites. And a note about price: We've included splurge-worthy bottles for when you're celebrating life's biggest moments and inexpensive options for when taking your pants off after work feels like a huge win. But we've also got plenty of affordable options for more everyday occasions, some bottles to always have stocked in your wine rack.
If you don't plan on drinking these wines immediately, make sure to store them at a temperaturebetween 45 and 70 degrees in a space with around 70 percent humidity. A few hours before you plan to pop the cork, stick them in the fridge to cool down. If the wine bottle has a natural cork, make sure to store it in its side so the cork stays moist.
If you want more of our wine recommendations, try our fave French wines, our fave canned wines, and our fave red wines. And check out more of our tips on how to serve and store wine. Until next time, cheers!
Region: Loire Valley, France
France's Loire Valley is the original home of Sauvignon Blanc, and this bottle is a mix of those grapes plus some from Chardonnay. The wine—intensely aromatic and sharply acidic—represents just what a Loire Sauvignon Blanc should be, with notes of grapefruit, green apple, and maybe a hint of parsley. This + an arugula salad tossed in a vibrant vinaigrette = BFFs.
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Though New Zealand isn't the birthplace of Sauvignon Blanc, the grape is synonymous with the country. That's because everything you love about a classic Sauvignon Blanc is on steroids in a NZ version—so, so grassy, intensely citrusy, with loads of ripe tropical fruit notes. Kim (Crawford, not Kardashian) is famous in the world of Sauvignon Blancs, gaining critical acclaim for her lively yet smooth whites.
Region: South Tyrol/Alto Adige, Italy
This pink-skinned grape is commonly grown in Northeast Italy, Alsace, and Oregon—each region offering a distinct interpretation. This particular Italian region, bordering Germany, showcases lighter, citrusy, slightly nutty Pinot Grigios. This bottle is a quintessential expression of just that: fresh, dry, with a round finish. Cin cin!
Region: Willamette Valley, OR
Pinot gris digs Oregon. It has coastal influence, making it a cooler climate with lush growth that's perfectly suited for this grape. The region's unique interpretation of this varietal develops into a wine with aromas of honeydew and flowers, a bright acidity, and light spiciness. Don't overlook Oregon pinot gris—many consider them the most undervalued whites on the market.
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Perhaps you've heard of the renowned Alpha Omega but gasped at the steep price tag. This bottle is their second label, meaning it's made from grapes that are sourced from the same vineyards as Alpha Omega but didn't meet the criteria for their main bottling. Translation: It's major bang for your buck—and it's everything you could hope for when you think of a Napa Chardonnay. It's buttery goodness, explosive tropical fruit, and evident vanilla from extensive oak treatment.
Region: Sonoma County, CA
Decoy is most recognized for its red wines, but the Sonoma County producer develops quality whites at an approachable price, too. The Chardonnay is rich with flavors of buttery brioche, caramel, and ripe pineapple. This baby's voluptuous and decadent.
Region: Burgundy, France
With its limestone-rich clay and picturesque hillsides, Burgundy is the birthplace of Chardonnay. Unlike California Chardonnay, these French producers use less new French oak for aging (which imparts the heavy vanilla and baking spice tones) and use mostly stainless steel or neutral barrel (which don't). The result is a more delicate, less in-your-face chard. This white Burgundy offers refined nuances of peach, apricot, and almond, with a crisp acidity.
Region: Chablis, France
Take everything you think you know about Chardonnay and throw it out the window; the Chablis region is the cleanest, most precise interpretation of the Chardonnay varietal. William Fevre is a prized producer in Chablis and receives critical acclaim year after year. The producer's rejection to oak aging leads to crisp, mineral-driven whites. No butter, no vanilla, just underripe green apples and white flowers. Intriguing (maybe a little confusing), right?! You should drink a bottle to fully understand.
Region: Mosel, Germany
Riesling is the favored grape of Germany, and it's easy to see why: The steep terraced vineyards in this region rely on sunshine reflecting off the Mosel River to ripen. The result is a magically off-dry, boldly acidic wine with notes of ripe Bosc pear, green apple, and notable minerality. The delicate sweetness would balance the heat from spicy food nicely.
Region: Clare Valley, Australia
Pikes has gained an international following for its dry Riesling. It aims to create wines that showcase the uniqueness of the region and vintage. Australian Rieslings are usually characterized by their "limey-ness," but this bottle is balanced with aromas of lemon, green apple, and floral notes. The charming sweetness makes it a perfect pairing for Indian food.
Region: Rías Baixas, Spain
This wine's grapes are grown in a lush, coastal region of Spain, kissed with sea breezes. Sounds amazing, eh? Satiate your wanderlust with this bottle. The wine has a delicate salinity and wet stone minerality, plus it's bursting with floral aromatics. This wine pairs incredibly well with shellfish.
Region: Kamptal, Austria
Veltliners are light, crisp, and citrus-driven with savory notes of white pepper, watercress, and arugula. This producer was named "One of the Top 100 Wineries of the Year" by Wine & Spirits Magazine two years in a row. Do with that what you will...(read: buy a few bottles).
Region: Swartland, South Africa
Rounding out the world tour, this bottle will bring you to South Africa. Chenin blancs are typical of the Loire Valley in France but Vincent Careme brought his expertise of the varietal to Swartland (where they call Chenin Blanc "steen.") This versatile grape can be sweet or dry, still or sparkling, and aged with oak or not. But this bottle is a dry, elegant one with notes of yellow apple, citrus, and honeysuckle.
Region: Gavi, Italy
Intense lemon, florals, and hints of flinty minerality make up the palate of this crisp, refreshing bottle. La Scolca is a benchmark producer of Gavi, hand-harvesting its fruit from 60-year-old vines. Older vines equal more concentrated and intense wine. We're seeing you sipping on this with a delicate white fish. You're seeing it too, aren't you?
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