There are dozens of white wines produced throughout the world. Here is a summary of the major white wines organized by grape type.
Albariño — Produced mostly in Spain and Portugal (known as Alvarinho in Portugal), this is a light-bodied, high-acidity white wine with flavors of lemon, melon, peach, grapefruit, and nectarine.
Aligoté — Generally dry in style, with floral and herbal notes and high levels of acidity. It is often used in blends — especially in Burgundy — where it adds acidity and aroma to richer, less-structured wines.
Chardonnay — Chardonnay can take on one of two characters based on the vessel used during fermentation. Wines fermented in stainless steel tanks tend to be very crisp and fruity, with flavors of apple, quince, lemon, and pineapple. When aged in oak, these wines become big, full-bodied wines with flavors of butter, vanilla, butterscotch, and toast. In Burgundy, France, this wine is simply referred to as a white Burgundy.
Chenin Blanc — More than half of the world’s Chenin Blanc is grown in South Africa, where it is used in the production of brandy. France, the U.S., and Argentina are also major producers. This high-acidity wine tends to be light-bodied with zesty flavors of lime, nectarine, and pear, with hints of honey.
Clairette — Typically used in blending for its fresh flavors of apple and citrus along with its aromatic qualities. In France, this grape is used to produce both still wines and sparkling wines, and is notably found in the red and white blends of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Gewürztraminer — This highly aromatic wine is often thought of as being sweet, but most Gewürztraminers are not high in residual sugar. It’s the huge aromatic character and big fruit flavors of tangerine, pink grapefruit, and lychee that give the impression of sweetness. Typically low in acidity, leading sometimes to an oily texture. A large percentage of Gewürztraminers are made in France, with a smaller portion coming from Germany.
Grenache Blanc — Produced from the light-skinned Grenache grape, this wine is sometimes made as a varietal, although its use in blends is more common. It can take on widely different characteristics depending on the vessel: stainless steel yields bright, crisp fruit flavors, while oak produces richer flavors including baked apple. Two-thirds of the world’s Grenache Blanc is grown in France. Often blended with Roussanne, Vermentino, Viognier, and Clairette — most notably in the white wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Marsanne — On its own, this wine can have an earthy minerality alongside flavors of honeysuckle and melon. More often it is blended with Roussanne, which provides more aromatic notes. Together, this blend is produced throughout France and is also used in sparkling wines.
Muscadelle — Most commonly used in white Bordeaux blends. It is most often found as a sweet wine, and its floral characteristics have led to it being named after the Muscat grape, although it is unrelated. It typically makes up a small amount of the white Bordeaux blend, adding aromatic character.
Muscat — Known as Moscato in Italy and Moscatel in Spain and Portugal, this wine has a distinctive aroma of fresh grape. This low-acidity grape is used in the production of dry, medium, sweet, and sparkling wines, as well as dessert wines.
Pinot Blanc — A medium to full-bodied wine with high acidity that, like Chardonnay, takes on different flavors based on the fermentation vessel (stainless steel versus oak). Flavors can include apple and almond. Pinot Blanc’s natural high acidity also makes it a common choice in the production of sparkling wine.
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio — Known as Pinot Gris throughout most of the world, where it tends to be fruity and dry, and as Pinot Grigio in Italy, where it tends toward more citrus flavors and salinity.
Prosecco — The green-skinned Glera grape has been grown for hundreds of years in the Veneto and Friuli regions of Italy, primarily to produce sparkling Prosecco wines. Since 2009, the name “Prosecco” has been reserved exclusively for wines produced in Italy’s official Prosecco appellation. Prosecco tends to be fruitier and usually sweeter than Champagne, with flavors of melon, pear, apple, honeysuckle, and cream.
Riesling — This light-bodied wine has big fruit flavors of lime, apple, orange, and nectarine with high acidity. Germany produces nearly half of the world’s Riesling. This wine can range from sweet to completely dry, with the sweeter versions being a great pairing with hot and spicy foods.
Roussanne — Traditionally blended with Marsanne, Roussanne is a key ingredient in the white wine blends of the northern Rhône region of France. It is also used in French sparkling wines and in small quantities in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it is one of 13 grape varieties permitted in both red and white wines.
Sauvignon Blanc — Grown throughout the world, with nearly a quarter of all Sauvignon Blanc coming from France. This light-bodied wine has big fruit flavors of grapefruit, lime, green melon, and white peach, with high acidity. Traditionally aged in stainless steel to bring out crisp, bright fruit flavors; it can also be aged in oak to produce a softer, creamier wine (marketed as Fumé Blanc by Robert Mondavi). In France’s Loire Valley, it is sold as Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé.
Sémillon — Nearly half of the world’s Sémillon comes from France, with Australia producing another quarter. This wine typically takes on flavors of lime and saline but can also develop richer flavors of lemon curd, papaya, and apple, depending on where it is produced.
Torrontés — An aromatic wine almost exclusively grown and produced in Argentina. This medium-bodied wine has big fruit flavors of lemon, grapefruit, peach, pear, and melon.
Trebbiano — Grown mostly in Italy, this grape is used to produce wine, brandy, and vinegar. It is rarely made into a varietal wine but is widely used in blends.
Ugni Blanc — The most widely planted white grape in France. In the St. Émilion region, Ugni Blanc is important in brandy production and is the most common grape used in the making of Cognac.
Verdejo — Produces crisp, aromatic white wines from central Spain. Made both as a varietal and for blending with Viura or Sauvignon Blanc. Full-bodied Verdejo wines are described as herbaceous, with nutty characteristics and balanced acidity.
Verdicchio — Mostly from Italy, this is a crisp, clean wine with high acidity and flavors of lemon and grapefruit. Verdicchio is also used as the base for sparkling wines such as Soave.
Viognier — Grown widely in France and Australia, with growing popularity in the U.S., this medium-bodied wine has big fruit flavors of peach, pineapple, mango, tangerine, and apricot.