Top 21 French White Wines

Everyday bistro carafes and collector grand crus end up in the same lineup, alongside bracing coastal whites and honeyed dessert bottles. Pick the glass you'd actually reach for.

1. 1
   Sancerre

   Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc prized for its flinty, citrus-bright style.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Chablis

   Crisp, mineral Chardonnay from northern Burgundy's Kimmeridgian limestone slopes.
   832pts
3. 3
   Meursault

   Rich, nutty Côte de Beaune Chardonnay, one of Burgundy's most famous whites.
   787pts
4. 4
   Vin Jaune

   The Jura's oxidative 'yellow wine', aged over six years under a veil of yeast.
   718pts
5. 5
   Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

   Rare, full-bodied white blend from the famous southern Rhône appellation.
   636pts
6. 6
   Jurançon

   Southwest French white from Petit and Gros Manseng, famed for its sweet moelleux style.
   636pts
7. 7
   Bâtard-Montrachet

   Grand cru Chardonnay vineyard straddling Puligny and Chassagne, rich and powerful.
   538pts
8. 8
   Savennières

   Intense, long-lived dry Chenin Blanc from schist slopes in Anjou.
   538pts
9. 9
   Côtes du Rhône Blanc

   Southern Rhône white blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne, round and great value.
   418pts
10. 10
    Pouilly-Fuissé

    Mâconnais Chardonnay from dramatic limestone cliffs, ripe and generous.
    418pts
11. 11
    Sauternes

    Bordeaux's golden sweet wine made from noble-rot Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
    418pts
12. 12
    Hermitage Blanc

    Age-worthy Marsanne and Roussanne from the granite hill of Hermitage.
    418pts
13. 13
    Corton-Charlemagne

    Grand cru Chardonnay from the hill of Corton, linked to the emperor Charlemagne.
    418pts
14. 14
    Alsace Riesling

    Dry, powerful Riesling from the foothills of the Vosges mountains.
    418pts
15. 15
    Condrieu

    Northern Rhône's rare, perfumed Viognier from steep granite terraces.
    418pts
16. 16
    Puligny-Montrachet

    Burgundy village whose taut, elegant Chardonnays include several grand crus.
    418pts
17. 17
    Vouvray

    Touraine Chenin Blanc made in every style from bone-dry to lusciously sweet and sparkling.
    418pts
18. 18
    Muscadet

    Zesty Melon de Bourgogne from near Nantes, the classic partner for oysters.
    418pts
19. 19
    Pouilly-Fumé

    Smoky Sauvignon Blanc from across the Loire river from Sancerre.
    0pts
20. 20
    Graves Blanc

    Sauvignon-Sémillon whites from Bordeaux's gravelly Graves district, the cradle of Pessac-Léognan.
    0pts
21. 21
    Alsace Gewurztraminer

    Exotic, aromatic Alsace white bursting with lychee, rose and spice.
    0pts

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