One of the most common things I hear from red wine lovers is, "I like white wines, but I don't know what to buy. So, I just avoid them." Meanwhile, the white wine drinkers revel in the fact that great white wines tend to be less expensive and just as enjoyable, if not more so than red wines. The fact is that for each occasion and place, there is an opportunity to pair a great wine. Hopefully, you already know that white wines are perfect on warm days, with lighter foods and seafood, and certainly to kick off a party with appetizers.
I drink white wines all year round, especially when a red wine just feels too heavy, too sweet, or just because I want something refreshing, crisp, and bright in acidity. I'm always looking for eyebrow raising wines and here is a short list of some of the white wines that most impressed me recently. Remember, we taste hundreds of different wines every month and on average, only 4% make the cut. So, you know you'll be getting an exceptional wine in its class with high quality and value.
2020 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay Australia
Leeuwin is located in Margaret River in Western Australia. This is like drinking a new world Grand Cru Burgundy. It's one of the most decorated wineries in OZ and deservedly so. This is their finest Chardonnay. For a quarter of the price, the Prelude line of wines is very good too.
2022 Domaine Roland Tissier et Fils Les Caillottes Sancerre
This is my favorite Sauvignon Blanc in the store at present. Les Caillottes are the small river pebbles that litter the vineyards in Loire. Once you taste this wine, you'll have a reference point for what Sauvignon Blanc can and should be. Depending on how you look at that, you'll either have eyes wide open or be spoiled for life.
2015 Trimbach Riesling Selection de Vieilles Vignes Alsace
What if I told you that you could drink a dry Riesling produced by the leading family in NE France with more than 400 years of experience for less than $30? We scored a deal on a large amount of this wine, but it won't last. People try this wine and come back for a case. This mouth watering wine is so delicious and in a perfect drinking window. If you love cheese as much as I do, this wine will be your new favorite wine to pair with cheese.
2022 Robert Keenan Winery 'Keenan' Chardonnay Spring Mountain District
Napa Chardonnays often lean too heavily on oak or sweetness, but this one nails the balance. The 2022 Keenan Chardonnay is a beautiful expression of Spring Mountain—crisp, clean, with just enough oak to add depth without overpowering the fruit. Keenan consistently delivers quality, and this Chardonnay is no exception. It’s a great value, even at a higher price point. Definitely a bottle worth stocking up on..
2022 Scrimaglio Colli Tortonesi Timorasso Derthona DOC
This grape was resurrected by Walter Massa over the last four decades and Derthona is its place of origin. This area is located between Malpensa airport in Milan and Barolo in Piemonte. There are still fewer than 50 producers of this indigenous varietal. To taste and appreciate this wine is to really earn a badge as an Italian wine geek. This is a fabulous wine with bright acid, an herbal mineral, white flowers, stone fruits and has the potential age for decades when it can take on petrol characteristics like Riesling. Highly recommended.
2020 Reguta Prediale Trevenezie
Reguta is a standout in the Trevenezie region, and their Prediale is a perfect example of why we love their wines. This is a white that punches way above its weight—refreshing, crisp, and full of character, all at a price that makes you wonder how they do it. It’s the kind of wine that never lasts long at our house because once it's opened, everyone reaches for more. Always a great pick for those who enjoy wines that overdeliver on quality!
2022 Zuccardi Fosil Chardonnay Valle de Uco
Continuing our global hunt for outstanding Chardonnay, I lead you to the best region for Malbec in Argentina. Remember, these vineyards are up against the Andes mountains and higher up, you find stunning vineyards fed by snowmelt and kept cool by the altitude. Don't take my word for it. Three of the best wine critics in the world rate this wine 95-97 pts. Once you taste this, you'll ask yourself whether you really need to pay $400 for Montrachet.
2020 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Mosel Riesling Grosse Gewachs
Grosse Gewachs means "great growth" or birthed at a venerated vineyard. Referred to as "GG's" this is drinking from the top of the pyramid among dry Rieslings. The German wine critic from the Wine Advocate Stephan Reinhardt says, "Selbach-Oster might be one of the hottest domains along the Mosel, if not in all Germany."
2022 Domaine Vincent Wengier Chablis
James Suckling praises Chablis for its purity and refreshment, and this stunning expression from Domaine Vincent Wengier is no exception. Nestled in the heart of Prehy, this family-run estate has been crafting wines of precision and elegance since 1950. Grown in 180-million-year-old Kimmeridgian soils, rich with fossilized oyster shells, this mineral-driven Chablis is the ultimate oyster and seafood companion.
2014 Planeta 'Didacus' Chardonnay Sicily
A Burgundian-inspired masterpiece with a Sicilian soul, this 95-point Chardonnay is a benchmark for Italy. Planeta, one of Sicily’s most renowned wineries, crafts this wine from carefully selected vineyards, delivering a stunning balance of rich texture, mineral elegance, and sun-kissed Mediterranean vibrancy. Named “Winemaker of the Year” (2023) by Wine Enthusiast, Alessio Planeta continues his family's five-century legacy of excellence, blending tradition with innovation. Vinous Media calls Planeta “a master class in Sicilian wine”—and this Chardonnay proves why.
2022 Powell & Son Neldner Road Marsanne Barossa Valley
A truly WOW wine, this ultra-limited Marsanne is the pinnacle of Powell & Son’s premium whites. Inspired by the legendary Hermitage Blancs of the Northern Rhône, this Barossa Valley gem is crafted by Dave Powell, co-founder of Torbreck, whose wines have earned 100-point accolades. Sourced from meticulously restored vineyards and made with minimal intervention, it balances vibrancy and richness, offering layers of stone fruit, honeysuckle, and flinty minerality.
2022 Les Hauts de Milly Chablis Grand Cru Bougros
From the esteemed Domaine Bernard Defaix, this Chablis embodies the purity, minerality, and finesse that have made the region legendary. Crafted by the Defaix family—renowned for their meticulous organic and biodynamic approach—this wine reflects the iconic Kimmeridgian limestone soils, rich with 180-million-year-old fossilized oyster shells. Aged in 80% stainless steel and 20% neutral oak, it balances vibrant acidity, refined texture, and mouthwatering salinity, making it a perfect pairing for oysters and seafood. With the 96-point vintage (Vinous Media) and one of the most unique terroirs in the world, this is Chablis at its finest.
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