Even though white wine is more accessible to drink than red wine for a novice, it is nonetheless a complex wine that provides real tasting pleasure.

Whether for a discerning oenophile or an occasional lover of fine wine, dry or sweet, organic or biodynamic, white wines most often deliver fruity and floral aromas and flavors with a thousand secrets.

In France, we are fortunate to find exceptional winemakers who, thanks to their regional expertise and innovative methods, produce white wines: dry, sweet, liqueur-like, naturally sweet white wines, and even sparkling wines.

So, let's take a look at the different types of white wine and their grape varieties so that we can fully enjoy all their secrets when tasting them.

Discover the collection of white wines from the Gérard Bertrand estates.

Reminder of the different types of white wine

There are several types of white wines.

Dry white wine

It is characterized by a very low sugar content. This wine, with its beautiful freshness, finds its balance solely in its acidity and alcohol.

Sweet white wine

Sweet wines are wines with a lower sugar content than liqueur wines, ranging from 12 to 45 grams per liter. They are made from grapes that are at their peak of ripeness.

Sweet white wine

The sugar content of sweet white wines is over 45 g/l, and can reach up to 200 grams of sugar per liter. Here, the grapes are harvested manually in several successive selections. This is what is called, depending on the region, "grains nobles" or "vendanges tardives."

Sparkling white wine

Sparkling white wine is most often associated with Champagne, but there are many other types of sparkling white wine, all worth tasting, such as Clairette de Die and Crémants.

We recommend our Code Rouge vintage , a sparkling AOP Crémant de Limoux, Blanc de Blanc (produced exclusively with white grapes) wine from the Gérard Bertrand estates.

Fortified white wine

Fortified white wines are naturally sweet wines obtained by mutage, which consists of stopping the fermentation of white wine by adding alcohol.

This is the case of our Muscat de Rivesaltes Gérard Bertrand , a naturally sweet white wine with a beautiful balance which will be delicious, served chilled (10°C) as an aperitif.

The main French white wine producing regions and their grape varieties

Some French wine-growing regions producing white wine are recognized throughout the world for the particularity of their terroir and the typicality of their grape variety . To answer a question that is often asked by beginners, a white wine is made from white grapes and also, depending on the region, from black grapes. To avoid coloring the wine, red grape varieties such as Pinot Noir do not undergo maceration. In fact, it is the skins of the black grapes that contain the coloring matter to tint the wine. In a winemaking process intended for white wine, the grapes are therefore pressed directly.

The Bordeaux region and its art of blending

Between dry, sweet and liqueur white wines, the wines of this wine-producing region are mainly made from grape varieties of Sauvignon , from Semillon and of Muscadelle . It is in the subtlety of the marriage of these three main grape varieties that the white blended wines of Bordeaux are born.

The Côtes de Gascogne and its atypical terroir

In the past, this region was focused on the production of Armagnac. Nowadays, grape varieties such as Colombard and the Sauvignon Blanc produce dry white wines with low alcohol content. In this terroir, the phenolic maturity of the Little Manseng and the Gros Manseng are grown to obtain sweet white wines.

Burgundy and its star grape variety

Star grape variety, the Chardonnay takes on its full scope in the release of its aromatic expression within this region. Indeed, in addition to dominating almost all Burgundy vintages as a single grape variety, it elegantly transcribes each plot of Burgundy terroir when tasted.

The Alsace region and its exceptional terroir

Due to its geological diversity and microclimates, Alsace produces dry white wines obtained from grape varieties Riesling for its freshness and the Sylvaner for its lightness. Then, white wines sweets are produced from Gewurztraminer for its aromatic power and Pinot Gris for its generous intensity. Finally, the bubbles of white wines with the red grape variety, the Pinot Noir which produces a sparkling white wine.

The Loire Valley vineyard and its unique style

The plurality of Loire white wines extends across the vineyards of the Pays Nantais, the wine-growing region of Touraine, Anjou as well as the vineyards of Centre Loire. Thus, let us take the example of the white wines of Anjou-Saumur recognized for their particularity of having a schist and sandstone soil, favoring the quality of the dry and sweet white wines produced with the grape variety. Chenin .

Languedoc-Roussillon and its strong identity of terroir and grape varieties

A wide variety of soils differs from terraces of rolled pebbles, sandstones and marls, limestone and shale zones, clay soils, puddingstones, sandy soils, and even basalts. Chardonnay dominates the production of dry white wines, other grape varieties such as Carignan Blanc , the Grenache Blanc , the Maccabeus , the Bourboulenc , the White Muscat , the Marsanne , the Roussanne , the Piquepoul Blanc , the Clairette Blanche , the Rolle , the Tourbat and the Viognier gracefully expresses the strong identity of this terroir. However, in addition to producing dry white wine, Languedoc-Roussillon produces naturally sweet white wines, such as Muscat de Lunel and Muscat de Rivesaltes.

The Côtes-du-Rhône and its emblematic grape varieties

The most widespread white grape variety in the Rhône vineyards is the Viognier . It produces rich and creamy wines. In addition, the Côtes-du-Rhône also produces dry wines and sparkling white wines from the grape variety. Muscat Petit Grain . This grape variety offers complex citrus aromas to the wines of this region.

The secrets of white wine and its tasting

It's recommended that you begin your white wine tasting with a dry wine. And work your way up from drier to sweeter. Indeed, if you start with a sweet white wine, your palate will quickly become saturated. However, to fully enjoy a glass of white wine, you should follow an order of increasing strength. Some white wines are fruity, others are lively, while white wines aged in oak barrels are more powerful, providing a more pronounced and intense flavor.

As for the color of white wine , it is the grape variety and the sugar content that influence its color. It ranges from yellow-green to red. The younger the wine, the lighter its color, pale with green highlights. As it matures, its color evolves towards more orange tones. Moreover, the orange wines from Gérard Bertrand are obtained from white grapes.

To savor the secrets of white wines, once served in a stemmed glass, you swirl it gently to capture its aromatic fragrances and observe its color and legs, others call it the tears of the wine. Thus, traces revealing the textural viscosity of the wine are drawn on the inner wall of the glass.

From aperitif to dessert

Served chilled , dry white wines and sparkling white wines are perfect for aperitifs and desserts. For example, La Clairette du Languedoc Adissan from Gérard Bertrand's Art de Vivre collection is a good example of a white wine to enjoy as an aperitif.

For lovers of sweet wines , sweet and liqueur white wines can go very well with your aperitifs, provided they are served very cold.

The ideal pairing is with seafood. However, the advantage of white wine is that it pairs well with white meats, pies, quiches, and other mixed salads.

That said, the most sublime of associations is that of white wine with cheese. Indeed, tasting a cheese like a matured Comté or Beaufort, goat or sheep cheese, with a glass of white wine rather than with red wine prevents the milk protein from curdling in contact with the tannins of the red wine, leaving a soapy taste in the mouth. Even more, incredibly, the marriage of stronger cheeses, like Munster or Maroilles with the white wine from which it comes is a perfect match.

And for epicureans , the cheese pairing to savour is Roquefort, Bleu or Fourme (Ambert or Montbrison) with a naturally sweet wine like a Banyuls white.

For dessert, to accompany a cake, fruit tarts, tarts, or even a fruit salad, choose sweet white wines, or sparkling wines which will replace champagne with panache.

Product list:

Our Cuvée Extra Blanc, delicious, fresh and intense, made from Grenache Blanc

Our Prima Nature Chardonnay, an organic white wine with no added sulfites

Domaine de Cigalus Blanc , a white wine blended with Chardonnay Viognier Sauvignon Blanc, produced biodynamically

Learn more about wine:

And learn everything about orange wine , red wine or rosé wine .

Discover the best Gérard Bertrand wines:

Best red wine

Best white wine

Best rosé wine

Best orange wine

Explore the Gérard Bertrand estates:

Its wine châteaux of Languedoc-Roussillon

His expertise in the design of biodynamic wines

And discover the Gérard Bertrand wine collections.