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Wine Pilot96 points
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Mike Bennie95 points
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Huon Hooke95 points
- Variety Semillon
- Vintage 2015
- Brand Brokenwood
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 10.8% Alcohol
Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon 2015"Harvesting all by hand. The fruit was crushed, chilled and pressed immediatel..."$119.99 -
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Mike Bennie93 points
- Variety Viognier
- Vintage 2010
- Brand Clos Mogador
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 14.0% Alcohol
Clos Mogador Nelin 2010"The palate is svelte, crisp and long, finishing in a spiced phenolic pucker t..."$137.01 -
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Jasper Morris M90 points
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Mark Faber93 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2020
- Brand Domaine Chavy Chouet
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Domaine Chavy Chouet Meursault Les Casse Tetes 2020"A "casse tête" in French is a conundrum or puzzle and the name of this plot r..."$149.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2021
- Brand Domaine Jean-Paul and Benoit Droin
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Domaine Jean-Paul Et Benoît Droin Chablis 2021"Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoît Droin Chablis 2021 is an exceptional wine that em..."$120.00 -
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James Halliday'96 points
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Huon Hooke95 points
- Variety Riesling
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Grosset
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Grosset G110 Riesling 2022"Purity, drive, a vibrant quality that gives us pause. There is power that bui..."$125.00 -
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- Variety Riesling
- Vintage 2023
- Brand Grosset
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Grosset G110 Riesling 2023"Purity, drive, a vibrant quality that gives us pause. There is power that bui..."$125.00 -
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Decanter94 points
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John Gilman94 points
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Tim Atkin MW94 points
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Burghound94 points
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Jasper Morris M93 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2021
- Brand Louis Michel and Fils
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru ‘Butteaux Vieilles Vignes’ 2021"The 2021 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Vieilles Vignes is as usual one of the high..."$125.00 -
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Decanter93 points
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John Gilman92 points
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Burghound92 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2021
- Brand Louis Michel and Fils
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru ‘Forets’ 2021"That of the Michel family, established since the 19th century in the heart of..."$107.00 -
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James Halliday'97 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2021
- Brand Lowestoft
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.1% Alcohol
Lowestoft ‘La Meilleure’ Chardonnay 2021"‘La Meilleure’ is a blend of fruit from the Coal River Valley, Tasman Peninsu..."$119.99 -
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Gary Walsh93 points
- Variety Chenin Blanc
- Vintage 1986
- Brand Marc Bredif
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Marc Bredif Vouvray Grande Annee 1986"In the heart of the Touraine, Marc Bredif is one of the most famous Vouvray a..."$149.99 -
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James Halliday'95 points
- Variety White Blends
- Vintage 2020
- Brand Mount Mary
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.8% Alcohol
Mount Mary Triolet 2020"62% Sauvignon blanc, 28% Semillon, 10% Muscadelle The cool season of 2020 has..."$115.01 -
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James Halliday'98 points
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Ned Goodwin MW98 points
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Gary Walsh96+ points
- Variety Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon
- Vintage 2021
- Brand Mount Mary
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.8% Alcohol
Mount Mary Triolet 2021"The Triolet blend, first produced at Mount Mary in 1987, was inspired by the ..."$114.99 -
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Vinous95 points
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The Wine Advoca91 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2017
- Brand Peay Vineyards
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Peay Vineyards Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2017"Vanessa Wong, Nick Peay, and Andy Peay are driven by the same passion. That i..."$119.99 -
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James Halliday'98 points
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Andrew Caillard95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2016
- Brand Penfolds
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Penfolds Reserve 'Bin 16A' Chardonnay 2016"Reserve Bin A Chardonnay has evolved into a wine that is now a distinctive, s..."$129.99 -
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Andrew Caillard97 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2019
- Brand Penfolds
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Penfolds Reserve Bin 19A Chardonnay 2019"Reserve Bin A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay is a wine produced by Penfolds, a wel..."$124.99 -
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Huon Hooke96 points
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Decanter93 points
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Wine Pilot96 points
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Tyson Stelzer96 points
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Andrew Caillard95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Penfolds
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Penfolds Reserve Bin 22A Chardonnay 2022"Reserve Bin A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay is a wine produced by Penfolds, a wel..."$124.99 -
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Ray Jordan98 points
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James Halliday95 points
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Gary Walsh95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Pierro
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 14.5% Alcohol
Pierro Chardonnay 2022"In the words of Jeremy Oliver, “Pierro is one of the few Australian wineries ..."$109.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2012
- Brand Prancing Horse Wines
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 14.0% Alcohol
Prancing Horse Reserve Chardonnay 2012"Prancing Horse Estate has been organic since its early days, 15 years ago, an..."$119.99 -
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Wine Enthusiast92 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2019
- Brand Presqu'ile Winery
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Presqu’ile Estate Chardonnay 2019"Presqu’ile, (pronounced “press-KEEL') is a small winery is located in the San..."$110.00 -
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Gary Walsh97 points
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James Halliday'96 points
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James Suckling96 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Savaterre Wines
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.4% Alcohol
Savaterre Chardonnay 2022"Winery notes from winemaker Keppell Smith: The 2022 Chardonnay is the bes..."$117.99 -
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Robert Parker's95 points
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James Suckling93 points
- Variety Riesling
- Vintage 2019
- Brand Weingut Schloss Lieser
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Grosses Gewachs 2019"The cool nights in late summer gave the grapes great aroma intensity and idea..."$140.00 -
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Andrew Caillard98 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Vasse Felix
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Vasse Felix 'Heytesbury' Chardonnay 2022"WINEMAKER'S NOTES Our most unique small vineyard sections where the Gingin..."$109.99 -
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James Halliday'96 points
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James Suckling95 points
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The Real Review95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2020
- Brand Yarra Yering
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Yarra Yering Chardonnay 2021"Oyster shells, wet rocks, sea spray and orchard fruits. Finesse combine with ..."$119.99 -
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Jancis Robinson17.5 points
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Huon Hooke95 points
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Stephen Tanzer93 points
- Variety Riesling
- Vintage 2010
- Brand A. Christmann
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 8.0% Alcohol
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White Wine
White wine is made from white or light-colored grape varieties. Unlike red wine, the juice from white grapes is not in contact with the grape skins during fermentation, which is why white wine is typically a pale yellow or straw color. Some of the most common types of white wine include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio. The flavors of white wine can range from fruity and floral to mineral and tangy, depending on the grape variety and winemaking methods used. White wine is typically chilled before serving and is often paired with lighter foods such as fish, chicken, and salads.
White wines can also be oaked or unoaked, oaked white wines have been aged in oak barrels which gives the wine a creamy, buttery, vanilla notes. Whereas unoaked white wines are aged in stainless steel tanks which gives the wine a crisp and fresh taste. Some white wines are also fermented or aged in contact with their own lees (dead yeast cells) which gives the wine a fuller body and more complex aromas.
Different regions also have their signature white wines, for instance, white wine from Burgundy region of France is known for its Chardonnay grape variety which gives the wine a rich, complex, and buttery notes, whereas white wine from Alsace region of France is known for its Riesling grape variety which gives the wine a floral, mineral, and tangy notes.
White wine can be made using a variety of techniques and methods, each of which can affect the final taste and quality of the wine. For example, some winemakers use "skin contact" techniques to extract more flavor and color from the grapes. This is done by leaving the juice in contact with the grape skins for a short period of time before fermenting. This can add more body and texture to the wine, as well as a subtle color change. On the other hand, some winemakers use "sur lie" aging to give the wine a creamier texture and more complex aromas. Sur lie aging refers to the practice of leaving the wine on its lees (dead yeast cells) for an extended period of time, which can add complexity and depth to the wine's aroma and flavor.
The alcohol content of white wine can vary, but it is typically around 11-14% alcohol by volume (ABV). Some white wines, particularly those from warmer regions or those made using certain techniques, can have a higher alcohol content. For example, some Chardonnay wines produced in Napa Valley, California can reach up to 15% alcohol by volume.
The flavor and aroma of white wine can be influenced by many factors, including the grape variety, the terroir (soil, climate, and topography) of the vineyard, and the winemaking techniques used. For example, a Chardonnay from a cool climate region will have a high acidity and crisp flavors, while a Chardonnay from a warm climate region will have a higher alcohol content, a more full-bodied texture, and a more tropical fruit profile.
Some white wines are best consumed young and fresh, while others are meant to be aged for several years. For example, Sauvignon Blanc is typically consumed young, while a white Burgundy made from Chardonnay grapes can be aged for several years.
Some white wines are meant to be enjoyed as aperitif, while others are meant to be enjoyed with food. Aperitif wines are typically light-bodied, crisp, and dry and are consumed before a meal to stimulate the appetite, while food-friendly wines are typically more full-bodied, complex and can complement or contrast flavors of the food.
White wine can also be sparkling, such as Champagne and Prosecco, which are made using the traditional method of secondary fermentation in the bottle. Sparkling wines are typically made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes and can vary in sweetness, dryness, and effervescence.