How to Choose a White Wine

A wall of white wines can be a thing of beauty, like a glittering sea of glass in buttery, golden hues. When the light hits just right, all those Pinot Grigios and Chardonnays can look like glowing candles.

What really snuffs out the magic? Plucking a bottle off the shelf, wondering if it’s “the right one”. Don’t let indecision muddle your merrymaking. We’re here to walk you through how to choose a white wine…Whether you’re a beginner, a casual sipper, or a vino enthusiast, we’ve lined up practical tips to make this your go-to white wine guide. Read on for the unique characteristics in some of our favorite varieties. And once you have the bottle in hand, we’ve included suggestions for how to pair white wine with popular foods like salmon and Thai food. Sip and savor, friends!

Key Characteristics of White Wines

Color

A good general piece of advice: Think saturation. 

Pale, light-colored wines are often crisp, fresh, with a little zing on the palate. Think Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. If you’re looking at bottles with deeper, melted-butter hues, they’re often richer and fuller, like a Chardonnay or Viognier. Why is this the case? Age, the grapes, and the wine-making technique all influence the finishing color.

For example, Chardonnay ages in oak barrels. The longer the wine is aged, the more it absorbs the compounds in the wood…in the case of Chardonnay (pardon the pun), oak gives off vanilin, which breathes that rich amber hue into the wine, giving it the sunset glow we know and love. 

Compare that process to one of our favorite casual sipping wines – Pinot Grigio. Don’t let anyone call this classic a pedestrian choice…we love its versatility and the way it can appeal to a wide spectrum of wine drinkers. We once heard someone call Pinot Grigio “the X-Men of wine” because its light pink grape is a mutation of the historic Pinot Noir grape. These grapes are handled gently and usually processed right after harvest, preserving the clear, crisp color. Add in a quicker fermentation process and aging in stainless steel, and you can understand why Pinot Grigio is lighter in both color and mouthfeel. 

Body and Texture

We heard a great way to think of a wine’s “mouthfeel” is to compare how skim milk, whole milk, and cream feel if you sip each one. While age, grape, and the ageing container (barrel, steel, etc.) all impact the wine’s body, it really comes down to alcohol. Higher alcohol content makes the wine more viscous (think water vs. honey) and puts it squarely in its “body” category. White wines are referred to as:

• Light-Bodied – a crisp, young feel often found in Vinho Verde, some Pinot Grigios, and Riesling.

• Medium-Bodied – Slightly rounder, lingers longer. Think most Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Grigio. A few Chardonnays will also linger in this category.

• Full-Bodied – Richer, fuller, creamier: Chardonnay.

Acidity

Acidity is a key characteristic of white wines. A good way to think of acidity is how the wine feels in your mouth when you sip and directly after you swallow the wine. For white wines, traditionally the acidity is higher, which helps cut sweetness. There are three categories:

• High Acidity – Usually a zesty, crisp taste. Lingers on your palate with a pep in its step, may even feel tart. (Often applies to wines from cooler regions, like Riesling from Germany, Grüner Veltliner from Austria, Chablis from Burgundy in France, and Albariño from Spain).

• Medium Acidity – Often feels balanced, like it blends with the sweetness and alcohol in the wine. (Many Sauvignon Blancs…though they border medium-high, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc).

• Low Acidity – Rounder, fuller, softer, like if lemonade lost its pucker. (Chardonnays from warmer regions, Viognier).

Sweetness

We’ll keep it overly simply here: for the most part, two things determine a white wine’s sweetness.

1. The level of sugar present in the grape when it was processed and fermented.

2. The residual sugar left in the wine after the fermentation process.

White wines can range from dry (Pinot Grigio, especially from Italy) to quite sweet (certain Rieslings and moscato). Understanding where your preference falls is key to helping you confidently pick a bottle you’ll love to drink.

What does dry even mean? It definitely doesn’t mean lacking in flavor…plenty of white wines will carry notes of tropical fruits, herb and grass, or delicate florals, but won’t overwhelm you with a sugary sweetness. Often, a dry wine will let other aspects really shine, whether that’s minerality, acidity, etc.

That’s a dry wine in a nutshell. You probably know that dry is at one end of the sweetness spectrum, and “sweet” is at the other. So where do you gravitate? Don’t come at us if you feel this is oversimplifying, but here’s a quick, general list from dry to sweet.

• Dry: Albariño, Pinot Grigio (from Italy, Pinot Gris from France is often more medium), Vinho Verde, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay from warmer climates or unoaked Chardonnay from cooler climates).

• Off-Dry/Medium: Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay (oaked from cooler climates)

• Sweet: Riesling*, Moscato

*A fun outlier? Riesling. It gets a reputation for only being sweet (sometimes overly so), but it can actually range from dry to medium and into sweet. So if you’ve enjoyed a Riesling before, or think you’d like to venture into a different version, keep this in mind and explore!

Our Quick Guide to Choosing a White Wine

Vinho Verde

Zingy, young, often a kiss of carbonation. This Portuguese wine is often affordable, and pale or even slightly green in hue. An exciting yet subtle fruity and floral combo…common notes include melon, lime blossom, and grapefruit. 

Pairing recommendation: fish tacos, sushi, a day at the beach.

Sauvignon Blanc

Refreshing, citrusy, usually crisp and bright. One of our favorite descriptions from a customer, “Tastes like springtime”. 

Pairing recommendation: Salmon if it’s grilled or served with a bright, spritzy sauce, similar approach with chicken (think a salad with grilled chicken, or lemon chicken).

Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is like that friend who can get anyone chatting — it’s open, approachable, and won’t lead you down the cringey path of “Yeah, but California vs. Burgundy…” (we love you Chardonnay fans, we really do.) It’s dry (remember: that just means “not very sweet”) and bursting with flavors. It’s currently the second most popular white wine in the U.S. market. 

Pairing recommendation: Grilled shrimp, caprese salad, pesto pasta, linguine with clams). 

Chardonnay

This can get dicey (we’re mostly kidding). Chardonnay is a wild world when it comes to wine, with plenty of passionate opinions. We’ve covered the basics and intermediate level so far (see above for acidity, cooler vs. warmer regions, oaked vs. unoaked, etc). Need a recap? Oaked: Toastier, more buttery, rounder mouthfeel. Unoaked: More fruit-forward, brighter. The takeaway for you? Chardonnay is the #1 selling wine in the U.S. market, and it’s a great choice for almost any occasion and food, because it’s versatile, familiar but exciting, and there are so many variations to try. 

Pairing recommendation: Caesar salad (unoaked), lobster (oaked), salmon with a creamy sauce or stronger marinade (either), roast chicken (oaked), pork chops (oaked).

Chenin Blanc

This wine has range. We love it, and bring it as a gift for almost any occasion because if people don’t know it, they usually love it, and if they do know it, they’re excited you do too! You’ll find bottles that are dry, medium, and sweet, but don’t let that worry you…it’s a great aspect of chenin blanc, because this wine is wildly versatile, refreshing, with waves of tropical flavors and minerality. 

Pairing recommendation: fresh oysters, curry dishes, and barbecue (specifically chicken).

Viognier

A little more unique and distinctive, but still popular. Very aromatic, smells like peaches, flowers, apricot. This is a great choice for someone who likes some of the flavors in Chardonnays, but thinks they’re a little too heavy or buttery. Viognier carries a lot of the same characteristics, but isn’t as “oaky”...it’s a friendly wine. Probably hangs out with Pinot Grigio on weekends. 

Pairing recommendation: Indian food, charcuterie, salads or pastas with goat cheese, and any food we’ve listed so far but you want a fun alternative and haven’t tried Viognier enough. 

Riesling

It’s. Not. Always. Sweet. Say it again for the people in the back! We admire Riesling. Flavorful, complex, but never fussy. Many variations can be sweet, and that’s wonderful, because Riesling knows how to do it right. It’s a gentle wine, but never boring. Riesling is the girl next door, who can dress up and get fancy too. 

Pairing recommendation: Spicy food, charcuterie with strong cheeses (Blue, Brie, gruyere), or sip it with a fruity dessert and thank us later. 

How to Pair White Wine with Food

Rules are made to be broken, so other folks might debate our picks here, and that’s great…we could chat and debate wine all day! But we know what we know, and after 30 years of selling wines, we’ve found a few favorite guidelines our clients have appreciated:

Fried Food? Go Fresh.

Fish and chips, fried chicken, corn dogs (they deserve wine too!) are all heavier foods, and a bright, crisp balance is your golden ticket. Think Sauvignon Blanc, Vinho Verde, or Albariño.

Match the fat to the body

Super rich, creamy sauce? Go for a medium or fuller bodied wine. Light, herby dish? Go light and herbaceous with your wine. Example: a fatty fish like salmon or tuna is gorgeous with a medium or full-bodied Chardonnay. If the salmon involves smoke, go oakier to match the notes.

Chardonnay: Oaked or Unoaked?

In one sentence…is it something you put lemon on? Go unoaked. Do you put butter on it? Oaked. Your dish has both? Lean toward the majority (think: chicken piccata with unoaked Chardonnay, fettuccine alfredo with oaked Chardonnay).

Refreshing White Wine Spritzer Recipe

Sometimes, the white wine you want is one that goes well in a cocktail. We respect The Pioneer Woman’s recipe because she follows our mantra - the best wine is the wine you want to drink. Here’s her take (we use it often) on the white wine spritzer.

White Wine Spritzer Recipe (Makes 2)

• 12 ice cubes 

• 12 oz very cold white wine

• 4 oz sparkling water or club soda

• Lemon slices, for garnish

• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

1. Divide the ice cubes and wine between two wine glasses, top evenly with sparkling water.

2. Garnish and serve.

Go forth and pick your white wine. Enjoy the process, admire your pick, and know that just as in life, nothing in the world of wine needs to be perfect. It’s about what you like, and who joins you for a glass. As always, stop by your local Cox’s & Evergreen to let us know your thoughts or to pick out a bottle. Cheers!