French White Wine

As with any type of wine from any particular place, white wine from France is special for several reasons. Natural factors—such as a French region’s climate, soil, sunlight, elevation and more—contribute to the character and quality of the country’s white grapes, while winemaking techniques, winemaker preferences, and historical or regional traditions and laws can all shape the attributes of the country’s finished white wines.

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Gris (known as Pinot Grigio in Italy) are all internationally important white wine grapes that originated in France. A few other important French-born white grapes to know are Sémillon, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier.

Although there are endless French whites worth seeking and sipping, some iconic French whites to know include Sancerre (made from Sauvigon Blanc in France’s Loire Valley), white Burgundy and Chablis (both made from Chardonnay grown in the Burgundy region), Muscadet (made from Melon de Bourgogne grapes in the Loire Valley), Saumur Blanc (made from Loire Valley-grown Chenin Blanc) and white Bordeaux (also known as Bordeaux Blanc), which is made primarily form Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon in Bordeaux.

And while not native to France, Riesling and Pinot Blanc produced in France's Alsace region are two other important whites to know.

France produces both dry white wine and sweet white wine. However, dry French whites are most commonly available.

Like finding any wine, what qualifies as a good French white wine is a matter of personal preference. You may enjoy more robust, fruit-forward or oaky selections, while someone else may prefer crisp and clean, light-bodied whites—both of which are produced nationwide.

Generally speaking, one way to know about the quality of a French wine is to look at its label: French whites labeled with Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status have been made in a specific region in a certain style, and are evaluated to ensure a level of quality. Grand Cru or Premier Cru status bottles will also labeled as such, and are, technically, the best French white wines you can find. Governed by strict requirements that vary by region, these stsatuses are often tied to a single vineyard or estate, and sometimes even a specific vintage.

That said, just because experts say the wine is great, doesn’t mean you will enjoy it. The best way to find a good French white wine is to purchase it from a source you trust, like laithwaites.com

Like any white wine, French white wine is meant to be enjoyed chilled. Aim to serve the wine around 45-55°F. If you'd like to enhance your white wine’s acidity, serve your wine at the lower end of the temperature spectrum. To accentuate your French white’s fruit and floral flavors, serve it a few degrees warmer.

Any all-purpose wine glass or white wine glass will suit French white wine well.

Because white wine from France varies considerably depending where and how its made, what grapes it’s made from, how long it has been aged and more, there’s no one food or type of food that matches best (or would be terrible served alongside) French whites. When pairing food and wine, the characteristics of your wine matter more than where it’s made.

In general, you should choose a wine with the same flavor intensity or weight as your food, and try to serve wine that’s more acidic than what you are eating. You may also want to choose a wine that either complements or counter-balnaces the flavors in your food.

Some classic French pairings to consider are Chardonnay with cassoulet; Chardonnay, Viognier or Pinot Gris for French onion soup; Sauvignon Blanc for coq au vin; Chablis with oysters; and Muscadet with grilled fish.