French Whites
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
If you’re going to start anywhere, start here. Yes, even those of you who “only drink red wine.” The white wines of France are some of the world’s most versatile and classic wines, and they’re well worth exploring and understanding. I’d even be willing to bet that the most die-hard red wine drinkers among you will find at least one white here to love.
Stuff to know
French wines are mostly named by the place they’re from, rather than by the grape(s) they’re made with. There are exceptions to this rule (aren’t there always?), but it’s still one of the most important things to understand when exploring French wines.
Those French place names on the bottle also tell you more than just which type of grape the wine is made from. In the United States, a wine labeled Chardonnay, one of France’s best-known grape varieties, could be grown anywhere in the country, and could be made in a lean, reductive style fermented in stainless steel tanks, or in a full-bodied, luscious style fermented and aged in toasted new oak barrels with malolactic conversion and lees stirring. There’s a massive range of styles, and the only way to know which is which is to do some research and/or ask.
In France, by contrast, the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée/Protégée (AOC/AOP) system regulates much more than just which grape is used. Minimum alcohol levels, vine planting density, whether or not a grower can water their vines, and whether, how long and in what style of vessel a winemaker can age their wines are all regulated.
This might sound restrictive, but I think it helps to consider that the AOC/AOP system allows wine styles to function much like brands. Their names tell us what to expect. Of course there is variation from producer to producer and vintage to vintage, but the regulations mean that we can begin to understand these styles of wines pretty quickly, even if the foreign naming conventions and AOC/AOP system might seem intimidating at first.
Worth noting: While French whites are often associated with a quaffable café-ready image, there are plenty of incredibly complex and age-worthy wines, just as there are lots of youthful ones that should be drunk within a few years of production. As you’d imagine, prices will generally match a wine’s quality level, and there’s a big range.
What to look for in this tasting
When I first moved to Burgundy, I noticed that the French winemakers described their wines differently from how I’d heard them described in the United States. I’ve since learned that there are many, many different ways to “correctly” describe wines, but I still remember being struck by some of the word choices: Fresh. Elegant. Nervy. Textured. Balanced.
I was so accustomed to hearing food-related wine descriptors that this took some getting used to. In hindsight though, it made sense. French wines generally aren’t aiming for fruit. There are other priorities, and they’re worth paying attention to as you taste through these wines. Do the wines feel light, energetic and zesty? Rich, heavy and creamy? Is there acidity or texture adding something interesting to a wine that might otherwise seem subtle? And what about terroir, that impossible-to-fully-translate French wine word that means so much more than just the land where the grapes are grown? There may be earthy flavors and textures too, like chalk, salinity, gunpowder, petrichor, something clay pot-like, mushrooms. Things that might feel awkward to articulate as “flavors,” per se, but that we’ve smelled and can identify.
The Wines
#1: White Burgundy
White Burgundy, AKA Bourgogne Blanc. When the French say Bourgogne Blanc, they are always referring to white wines made with Chardonnay, which originated in Burgundy.
Unfortunately, Burgundy isn’t as simple as “Bourgogne Blanc.” Burgundy is the wine world’s most complex region. French wines are named by the place they’re from, and well, no place in France gets more specific in that naming than Burgundy.
There are 4 quality levels for all White Burgundy wines, starting with Bourgogne Blanc, which refers generally to all white Burgundy wines and is the name of the regional appellation, meaning that the grapes in a bottle of “Bourgogne Blanc” can be from anywhere in the Burgundy region. These are the least expensive White Burgundies. From there, quality levels go from Village, to Premier Cru, then Grand Cru, which are the most expensive.
It isn’t easy to remember which appellations are which and what the names mean. Even for those of us who study these things in depth, it’s tough. When you layer on vintage variation and all of the different producers in Burgundy…it can feel overwhelming.
All of this to say that you don’t need to get into that level of nerdiness if you don’t want to. Ask your local retailer to guide you to the right White Burgundy for your Wineluck Club tasting based on what you want to spend.
What to ask for: White Burgundy, and then expect to share your target spend.
Alternatives: Stick with any White Burgundy from the Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise or Mâconnais. On the label, this could include regional wines like “Bourgogne” or “Mâcon,” often with more words afterward, or Village wines, like these from the Côte d’Or: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Saint Aubin, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses, Ladoix, Santenay, Pernand-Vergelesses, Maranges, Monthélie, Marsannay, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Côte de Nuits-Villages, Fixin, Vougeot, Morey-Saint-Denis, or Nuits-Saint-Georges.
…or these from the Chalonnaise: Mercurey, Montagny, Rully or Givry.
…or these from the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Loché, Puilly-Vinzelles, or Viré-Clessé.
If there are more words after a Village name, the wine could be a Premier Cru. Grand Cru wines skip the Village names entirely and only include the name of the Grand Cru on the bottle. If you can afford a Grand Cru wine for this tasting, I’m guessing that you might already know the names of the 9 Grands Crus blanc, but if you’d like me to add them here, comment below.
Note: If the label includes “Aligoté,” “Bouzeron” or Saint-Bris,” skip the wine for this tasting, since we are aiming to taste Chardonnay wines, rather than Burgundy’s other white grapes.
#2: Sancerre
Sancerre (”sahn-sehr”) is purportedly one of Taylor Swift’s favorite wines, for all the Swifties out there. For the rest of us, Sancerre, located in Central France in the Loire Valley, is already one of the world’s most famous wine styles, which is a pretty solid endorsement as it is. For some, Sancerre is the gold standard for Sauvignon Blanc, much like White Burgundy is the gold standard for Chardonnay. Hopefully this tasting will help you determine whether you agree.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Reuilly, Quincy, Touraine, Coteaux du Giennois
#3: Vouvray
“Voov-ray” is a well-known wine region in Central France, in the Loire Valley just east of Tours, where the wines are made with Chenin Blanc.
Chenin Blanc is a highly versatile grape, and its wines are made in styles ranging from still to sparkling, dry to sweet. Vouvray does it all, so be sure to look for Vouvray Sec, which is the name for the dry, still wine style that fits best in this tasting.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Savennières, Saumur, Anjou, Montlouis-sur-Loire
#4: Alsace Riesling
Alsace doesn’t follow many of the rules other French wine regions follow, since this region in Northeastern France saw its borders move back and forth between France and Germany enough times that food, architecture, traditions and more are blended in a distinctly Alsatian, rather than French, way. And the regional naming conventions for wines don’t follow typical French rules either. If you find it easier to understand wines by the grape variety, you can breathe a sigh of relief here, because Alsace always tells you which grape is in the bottle. In this case, we’re focusing on Riesling (”rees-ling”). For this tasting, look for dry Alsace Rieslings, as there is a wide range of styles ranging from dry to sweet available. One way to do this is to turn the bottle around and check the back - many of these wines will have a sweetness scale indicated on the label.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Stick with Alsace Riesling, as there should be plenty of options available
#5: Chablis
“Sha-blee” is technically part of Burgundy, but it lies northwest from the rest of of Burgundy, closer to Champagne than the Côte d’Or. As you’d expect when moving further north, the climate in Chablis is cooler, and the wine styles produced are quite distinct. I chose to separate Chablis from White Burgundy so that you can experience both.
Chablis wines still follow the same rule as White Burgundies though: they’re all made with Chardonnay. Winemaking practices vary, though for the most part, there will be little to no influence from oak barrel aging, except in some premier and grand cru wines.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Chablis with the name of the vineyard on the label typically indicates higher quality, even if the wine is not Premier or Grand Cru.
Alternatives: Petit Chablis (less expensive), Chablis Premier Cru (more expensive), Chablis Grand Cru (most expensive).
#6: Entre-deux-Mers
“Ahn-truh-deuh-mer” translates to “between two seas,” a reference to the region’s location between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers that cut through Bordeaux, meeting at the mouth of the Gironde estuary that opens to the Atlantic Ocean.
Entre-deux-Mers wines are some of the few white wines made in this predominantly red wine region. Sauvignon Blanc is the primary grape, just like in Sancerre. However, these wines typically blend in Sémillon and/or Muscadelle, the same varieties used in the sweet wines from nearby Sauternes. Entre-deux-Mers wines, by contrast, are dry, and will have a distinctly different character than those from the Loire Valley. Quality varies widely, so consider asking for a producer recommendation from your local retailer.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Bordeaux Blanc, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Côtes de Bordeaux
Tasting tips
The eats
This tasting, possibly more than any other, makes me miss being able to eat cheese. Cheese doesn’t like me anymore, but if you and your guests can enjoy it, know that French whites practically beg to be enjoyed with cheese. Crottin de Chavignol with Sancerre, gougères and stinky Époisses with White Burgundy…yum. You could bring this tasting list to your local cheesemonger and go wild.
That said, it’s always up to you to decide how fancy or casual your Wineluck tasting should be. A great cheese board would totally fit the bill. But if you have dairy-impaired friends like me, there are plenty of other snacks that work, like caramelized onion white bean dips, grapes, saucissons, and olives.
The prep
These wines should be relatively easy to find, and your guests will have a range of price points to choose from for each style. It’s up to you as a host to decide if you’d like to set a spending range, or if you’d prefer to let your guests determine what they’re each comfortable spending on this tasting.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first, so that even if there are just 4 wines in the tasting, you’ve got a well-rounded experience ahead. However, I’d suggest switching up the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines make it in the final cut, so that you’re starting with the leanest, most subtle wines and ending with the fullest, as follows:
Chablis
Vouvray
Sancerre
Entre-deux-Mers
Alsace Riesling
White Burgundy
