15 Types of White Wine: Flavours, Styles & Perfect Pairings

White wine isn’t just one style; it spans a spectrum from crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc to rich, oaked Chardonnay, delicate Riesling, and sweet Moscato. Knowing the main types of white wine helps you quickly understand how they differ in flavour, body, and food pairings, making it easier to pick the right bottle for a summer picnic, a seafood dinner, or a cosy night in. This guide breaks down the most popular white wine styles and grapes, giving you clear, practical insights into what sets each apart and how to enjoy them best.

What Is White Wine?

White wine is made by fermenting the juice of green or yellow grapes without their skins, giving it a lighter colour, fresher acidity, and a softer texture compared to red wine. What makes white wine fascinating is its variety: it can be completely dry or as sweet as dessert wine, incredibly light or rich and creamy, zesty with citrus or layered with oak. This versatility is the reason why white wine offers many different types, each with its unique flavours and perfect food pairings.

Key Characteristics of White Wine

• Acidity: Usually higher than red wine, giving whites their crisp, refreshing edge. (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc)
• Alcohol: Most range between 11-13%, with some fuller styles reaching 14%.
• Aromatics: From citrus and green apple to tropical fruit, honey, and floral notes.
• Sweetness: Covers the full spectrum, from dry (Chablis) to lusciously sweet (Ice Wine, Moscato).
• Body: Light and easy-drinking (Pinot Grigio) to full-bodied and creamy (Oaked Chardonnay).

15 Most Popular Types of White Wine

Here’s a clear overview of the 15 most popular types of white wine, highlighting their flavour profiles, body, and classic food pairings, so you can choose with confidence and discover new favourites.

Now that you’ve got the big picture, let’s explore each type in more detail, from flavour notes to food pairings and what makes each unique.

Crisp and Light-Bodied White Wine Types

Light-bodied white wines are known for their bright acidity, refreshing flavours, and easy-drinking style. They are often citrusy, mineral-driven, and perfect for pairing with seafood, salads, or summer picnics. Below are some of the most popular crisp white wine types you’ll commonly find in UK shops and restaurants.

1. Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular types of white wine, known for its crisp acidity and lively, aromatic style. Originating from France’s Loire and Bordeaux regions, it is now widely cultivated worldwide, with Marlborough in New Zealand producing some of the UK’s most beloved and affordable bottles.

• Typical Regions: Loire Valley (France), Bordeaux (France), Marlborough (New Zealand), California (USA), Chile, South Africa
• Flavour Profile: Dry, light to medium-bodied, high acidity. Cool climates deliver citrus, gooseberry, and herbal notes like green pepper; warmer regions bring riper tropical flavours such as passionfruit and mango.
• Food Pairing: Goat’s cheese, oysters, grilled asparagus, fish & chips, light salads, and creamy pasta dishes

2. Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris

Pinot Grigio, also called Pinot Gris, is one of the most adaptable types of white wine, showing very different styles depending on where it’s made. In Italy, especially Veneto, Pinot Grigio is light, crisp, and refreshing with flavours of lemon, pear, and green apple, making it a popular everyday choice in the UK. By contrast, Pinot Gris from Alsace (France) or Oregon (USA) tends to be richer and more textured, with notes of ripe stone fruit, honey, and spice, often displaying a slightly off-dry or fuller body style.

• Typical Regions: Veneto (Italy), Alsace (France), Oregon (USA), California (USA), Germany
• Flavour Profile: Italian Pinot Grigio is dry, light-bodied, and citrus-led; Alsace and Oregon Pinot Gris are fuller, with stone fruit, honeysuckle, and spice.
• Food Pairing: Seafood pasta, grilled chicken, summer salads, creamy risottos, or mildly spiced Asian dishes

3. Albariño

Albariño is a bright and refreshing white wine from Spain and Portugal, celebrated for its citrusy lift, stone-fruit flavours, and distinctive saline edge. Most famously grown in Rías Baixas (Spain) and also found in Vinho Verde (Portugal), Albariño is rarely aged in oak, which preserves its crisp acidity and lively, mouthwatering character. With aromas of lime, nectarine, and a hint of sea spray minerality, it is often described as a wine that captures the essence of the Atlantic coast.

• Typical Regions: Rías Baixas (Spain), Vinho Verde (Portugal)
• Flavour Profile: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity; flavours of citrus, nectarine, peach, and subtle saline minerality
• Food Pairing: Tapas, ceviche, grilled prawns, oysters, fish & chips

Still a bit confused about what "dry" means in white wine?
👉 Check out our guide on What Is Dry White Wine? To understand the term once and for all and choose bottles with confidence.

4. Vermentino

Vermentino is a Mediterranean white wine grape that offers vibrant acidity, herbal freshness, and lively citrus notes. Mostly cultivated in Sardinia and Liguria in Italy, as well as on Corsica in France, it flourishes in coastal regions, often exhibiting a touch of salinity that reflects its seaside origins. Typical flavours include grapefruit, white peach, green apple, and crushed herbs, with a distinctive hint of bitter almond. Unlike many other crisp whites, Vermentino can possess a slightly waxy or oily texture, giving it more weight and complexity on the palate.

• Typical Regions: Sardinia & Liguria (Italy), Corsica (France), southern France
• Flavour Profile: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity; citrus, peach, herbal, almond, subtle saline edge
• Food Pairing: Grilled squid, pesto pasta, lemon roast chicken, shellfish dishes, herby salads

5. Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s signature white wine grape, renowned for its crisp, dry style and distinctive peppery character. Known for flavours of green apple, lemon zest, and white pepper, it often features a subtle savoury note of radish or lentil that makes it stand out from more common white wines. With its clean, linear profile and medium body, Grüner strikes a balance between the sharp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc and the fuller weight of Chardonnay.

• Typical Regions: Austria (Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal), Czech Republic, Slovakia
• Flavour Profile: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity; citrus, green apple, white pepper, subtle savoury notes
• Food Pairing: Wiener schnitzel, asparagus, herby salads, grilled fish, light Asian dishes

6. Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne)

Muscadet, made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape in France’s Loire Valley, is among the lightest and driest styles of white wine. Pale and bone-dry, it features bright lemon zest, green apple, and a distinctive saline minerality often described as “sea spray.” Many Muscadet wines are aged sur lie (on the lees), which adds subtle texture and a delicate, slightly yeasty complexity without losing the wine’s refreshing, lean profile.

• Typical Regions: Loire Valley (France), especially Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine
• Flavour Profile: Bone-dry, light-bodied, high acidity; citrus, green apple, saline, mineral, leesy finish
• Food Pairing: Oysters, moules marinières, sushi, seaweed salad, fish & chips

7. Trebbiano

Trebbiano, also known as Ugni Blanc in France, is one of the most widely planted white grapes in the world and a staple in central Italy. Known for its crisp acidity, light body, and subtle flavours of citrus, green apple, and almond, Trebbiano focuses less on bold aromatics and more on clean, refreshing drinkability. Its neutral profile makes it a versatile food wine, often served young and chilled as an everyday table white.

• Typical Regions: Central Italy (Abruzzo, Umbria, Tuscany), southern France (as Ugni Blanc)
• Flavour Profile: Dry, light-bodied, high acidity; citrus, green apple, almond, white flowers
• Food Pairing: Pizza bianca, grilled vegetables, simple pasta dishes, antipasti platters

Full-Bodied and Oaked White Wine Types

Full-bodied whites are richer and more textured, often aged in oak to add notes of vanilla, butter, or spice. These wines feel rounder on the palate, with higher alcohol and a creamy finish, making them ideal for hearty dishes like roast chicken or creamy pasta. Here are the key types that define this style.

8. Chardonnay

Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular and versatile white wines, capable of expressing very different styles depending on climate and winemaking techniques. In cooler regions like Chablis in Burgundy or Sussex in the UK, Chardonnay is often unoaked, crisp, and mineral, with flavours of green apple, lemon, and flint. In warmer areas such as Napa Valley or Australia’s Margaret River, it tends to be richer and full-bodied, displaying ripe tropical fruit, vanilla, butter, and toast from oak ageing. This range of styles makes Chardonnay a true "chameleon" of the wine world.

• Typical Regions: Burgundy (France), Napa Valley (USA), Margaret River (Australia), Sussex (UK), South Africa
• Flavour Profile: From dry, unoaked, light-bodied and mineral to full-bodied, oaked, creamy and tropical
• Food Pairing: Roast chicken, lobster, creamy mushroom pasta, brie, fish pie

9. Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is one of the most versatile white wines in the world, capable of producing crisp dry whites, luscious dessert wines, and even sparkling styles. In the Loire Valley (France), Chenin often exhibits a mineral-driven elegance with flavours of quince, green apple, chamomile, and a subtle honeyed note. In contrast, South African Chenin Blanc, which is the country’s flagship white grape, tends to be rounder and fruitier, offering ripe pear, peach, and tropical hints while maintaining refreshing acidity. Its natural high acidity allows it to be adapted to many winemaking styles, from bone-dry to richly sweet.

• Typical Regions: Loire Valley (France), South Africa
• Flavour Profile: Quince, apple, chamomile, honey, with bright acidity and sometimes a waxy texture
• Food Pairing: Roast pork, goat’s cheese, honey-roasted root vegetables, spicy Asian dishes

🍯 Prefer something sweeter?
Discover our picks in 10 Best Sweet White Wines To Try and find your new favourite.

10. Viognier

Viognier is an aromatic, full-bodied white wine that captivates with its perfumed bouquet and luxurious texture. Expect expressive notes of apricot, ripe peach, honeysuckle, and orange blossom, often enhanced by subtle vanilla or spice when aged in oak. Originating from the Rhône Valley, where it produces rich and expressive styles, Viognier is now also made in California and Australia’s Barossa Valley, where riper fruit and warmer climates lend it an even more opulent character. With its soft acidity and creamy mouthfeel, this is a bold yet refined choice for those who admire white wines with both fragrance and weight.

• Typical Regions: Rhône Valley (France), California (USA), Barossa (Australia)
• Flavour Profile: Apricot, peach, orange blossom, honeysuckle, with a plush and sometimes oaked finish
• Food Pairing: Grilled peach salad, creamy chicken dishes, Moroccan tagines

11. Semillon

Semillon is an exceptionally versatile white wine celebrated for its ageing potential. In its youth, it exhibits a bright and lively character, with crisp lemon and citrus flavours complemented by invigorating acidity. As it matures, it develops into a wine of toasty richness, unfolding honeyed, nutty, and waxy notes that impart it with remarkable depth and complexity.

In Australia’s Hunter Valley, Semillon is often bottled as a single-variety wine, renowned for its ageing potential and developing remarkable character over decades. In Bordeaux, Semillon is typically blended with Sauvignon Blanc, creating both dry whites with elegance and complexity, as well as the famous sweet wines of Sauternes, where it offers honeyed richness and longevity.

• Typical Regions: Hunter Valley (Australia), Bordeaux (France)
• Flavour Profile: Youthful citrus, evolving into toasty, honeyed, and waxy richness with age
• Food Pairing: Scallops, rich fish dishes, duck pâté

Aromatic and Expressive White Wine Types

Aromatic whites are notable for their vibrant floral and fruit-driven aromas, ranging from lychee and rose to tropical fruits and honey. They can be dry, off-dry, or sweet, but always deliver bold personality and a distinctive nose. Let’s explore the most famous aromatic varieties that bring these expressive flavours to life.

12. Riesling

• Typical Regions: Mosel (Germany), Alsace (France), Eden Valley (Australia)
• Flavour Profile: Ranges from crisp and citrusy (dry) to rich with honey and stone fruit (sweet)
• Food Pairing: Thai curry, pork belly, apple tart

Riesling is one of the world’s most expressive and fragrant white wines, celebrated for its remarkable versatility. With naturally high acidity, it offers flavours that range widely depending on the style. In dry Riesling, expect sharp notes of lime, green apple, and citrus zest. Sweeter versions, on the other hand, feature apricot, honey, and floral undertones, sometimes layered with the distinctive hint of petrol that collectors admire.

Different regions bring out unique expressions:

• Mosel (Germany) produces delicate, low-alcohol wines with bright acidity and mineral elegance.
• Alsace (France) offers more full-bodied, dry Rieslings with a refined structure.
• Eden Valley (Australia) is known for its zesty, lime-driven Rieslings with incredible ageing potential.

13. Gewürztraminer

• Typical Regions: Alsace (France), Alto Adige (Italy), New Zealand
• Flavour Profile: Lychee, rose, ginger, spice; lush texture with low acidity
• Food Pairing: Spicy curry, Munster cheese, ginger-glazed pork

Gewürztraminer is one of the most intensely aromatic white wines, instantly recognisable for its exotic bouquet of lychee, rose petals, ginger, and warm spice. Unlike crisp, high-acid whites, Gewürztraminer is known for its low acidity, plush texture, and slightly sweet edge, depending on the style. This combination makes it a bold and expressive wine that stands out in any tasting line-up.

Different regions bring out unique expressions:

• Alsace (France) produces the most iconic styles, often rich, perfumed, and slightly off-dry.
• Alto Adige (Italy) offers fresher, more balanced Gewürztraminer wines with a touch of minerality.
• New Zealand showcases vibrant fruit-driven versions with tropical and floral intensity.

14. Torrontés

Torrontés is Argentina’s signature white wine, renowned for its intensely floral aromas and revitalising style. On the nose, it bursts with jasmine, orange blossom, and peach nectar, yet on the palate it delights with a crisp, dry finish. This harmony between perfumed fragrance and zesty acidity makes Torrontés one of the most distinctive and charming white wines in the world.

The finest examples come from Salta in northern Argentina, where high-altitude vineyards give the wine vibrant citrus notes, peach, and a crisp, refreshing backbone of acidity.

• Typical Regions: Salta (Argentina)
• Flavour Profile: Jasmine, peach, citrus, orange blossom; dry with crisp acidity
• Food Pairing: Vietnamese salads, sushi, mango chicken

15. Moscato

Moscato is one of the world’s most beloved sweet wines, known for its light body, fragrant bouquet, and gentle sparkle. Bursting with aromas of orange blossom, peach, honeysuckle, and honey, it offers a refreshing sweetness that’s never heavy. With its low alcohol content and naturally lively character, Moscato is the perfect wine for both beginners and casual drinkers.

• Typical Regions: Piedmont (Italy), Australia, California (USA)
• Flavour Profile: Peach, orange blossom, honeysuckle, honey; light, sweet, gently sparkling
• Food Pairing: Fruit tarts, brunch pastries, spicy stir-fries

How to Choose the Right White Wine for Your Taste

With so many styles to explore, choosing the right white wine depends on your personal flavour preferences. Here’s a simple guide to help match your taste with popular white wine styles:

• Love crisp and zesty?
  Try Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, or Grüner Veltliner. These wines are high in acidity, bursting with citrus and green fruit for a refreshing finish.
• Prefer smooth and rich?
  Go for oaked Chardonnay, Viognier, or Semillon. Expect fuller body, creamy textures, and flavours of vanilla, stone fruit, or toast.
• Drawn to floral and aromatic?
  Reach for Riesling, Gewürztraminer, or Torrontés. Known for their fragrant bouquets, fruity sweetness (sometimes off-dry), and food-friendly charm.
• Want something light and easy?
  Choose Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, or Muscadet. Clean, dry, and approachable, they’re perfect for casual sipping or summer meals.

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Conclusion

From crisp and citrusy to rich and floral, white wine is sure to cater to every palate out there! If you're unsure about which flavour suits your taste, why not try canned white wine? It's a delightful way to explore different options without the commitment of a full bottle. Plus, it’s simple, low-waste, and bursting with flavour!

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FAQ

1. What type of white wine is best?
Choosing the best white wine comes down to what you enjoy! If you like something crisp and citrusy, you might want to give Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño a try. Chardonnay or Viognier could be the right fit for a fuller and smoother experience. If you're drawn to floral and fruity notes, then Riesling or Gewürztraminer could be perfect! And if you're still figuring it out, canned white wine is a fun way to explore different flavours without committing to a whole bottle.

2. What is a dry white wine?
A dry white wine offers a delightful experience with its crisp taste and minimal sugar content, rather than sweetness. Some popular styles to explore include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Muscadet. These wines are refreshing and pair wonderfully with a variety of light dishes. Plus, if you're looking to sample different dry wines without waste, canned options are a fantastic way to enjoy them in smaller portions!

3. What is a sweet white wine?
Sweet white wine is delightful. It typically has a bit more residual sugar, giving it a fruity and smooth flavour profile that many enjoy. You might come across charming varieties like Moscato, Ice Wine, and Late Harvest. Riesling pairs wonderfully with desserts, spicy dishes, or even cheese. Plus, canned sweet wines make trying different options without a whole bottle super convenient!