A beginner's guide to white wine

Whether you prefer oak-aged wines, or your knowledge of white wine extends only as far as calling it 'white wine,' explore our guide to discover different flavour profiles, pairing tips, serving suggestions, and our top varieties.

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Florence Head

What is white wine and how is it made?

White wine is crafted by gently pressing white grape varieties to extract the juice. The bitter seeds and stems are avoided. Yeast is often added to help the juice ferment, and it's added to stainless steel vessels to ferment. For a subtle oak-vanilla twist, some wines are aged in oak barrels, with the level of oak influencing the style. A second fermentation softens the acidity, adding a creamy, yoghurt-like flavour.

Our in-house wine experts, Sue Daniels and Belinda Kleinig, handcraft all of our wines with our winemakers, blending carefully selected grapes to achieve the perfect balance of sweetness and alcohol. They visit the vineyards early to have the best pick of the wines, then use up to five to 20 samples to add their interpretation to the wine.

Browse our white wine

Flavour profiles of white wine

Pinot Grigio, known as Pinot Gris in France, is most renowned in northern Italy. Our refreshing Classics Pinot Grigio is crafted by a third-generation family winery in Italy’s Venezie region, where cool summers help the grapes ripen slowly, developing crisp fruit with herbal flavours. Expect refreshing aromas of green apple, pear, and herbs in every sip.

One of our wine experts, Dror Nativ, labels our Honeycomb Chardonnay a real winner. Curated from sustainably farmed grapes in the cool coastal vineyards of South Africa, it’s refreshingly crisp with subtle aromas of toasted almonds and flavours of apple, peach, and vanilla.

One of the most well-known wines, Sauvignon Blanc, is famous in France but grown worldwide. Our Tewara Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand offers exceptional value and quality, with a vibrant profile that highlights this aromatic grape. Dror describes the aroma as jumping out of the glass, with tropical notes of passionfruit.

Discover our Pinot Grigio

How to drink white wine

White wine is best stored in the fridge for 20-30 minutes until the bottle’s cold to the touch. Once opened, let it breathe on the table – avoid the ice bucket unless you're really in a rush. Over-chilling white wine can mute those gorgeous flavours and distort its aromas, so it’s always safer to under-chill than lose the flavour entirely. Ideal serving temperatures fall between 6-13°C, depending on the body of the wine. Lighter wines like Pinot Grigio are best served between 6-10°C, emphasising their crisp texture, while fuller-bodied wines like Chardonnay should be served slightly warmer, 10-13°C, to preserve their depth. As a handy guide, a bottle of wine will drop by 0.5°C every three minutes it’s out of the fridge.

For glassware, white wine glasses are known for their long, slender stems, which reduce body heat transfer. A Montrachet glass, with a larger bowl, is perfect for oak-aged whites like Chardonnay, allowing aromas to flourish fully. In contrast, a Riesling glass, with a smaller bowl, highlights the wine’s delicate bouquet, making it ideal for lighter whites like Pinot Grigio.

Learn more about Chardonnay

How to pair white wine

When pairing wine with food, if done correctly, it can elevate a meal and bring out the best in the dish and the wine. A heavy dish, such as a stew, can overwhelm a light-bodied wine, like Riesling, while a full-bodied Chardonnay overpowers a delicate dish.

Our wine experts, Dror and Sue, say the rule of thumb is local goes with local. Food and wine go together historically based on their region. For example, light and citrussy Vinho Verde from the coast in Portugal pairs perfectly with seafood as it has a little bit of spritzer in it and is therefore more palette cleansing.

For some easy pairing ideas, sip a bright and refreshing Sauvignon blanc with a goat’s cheese tart or a delicately floral Pinot Grigio with a creamy spaghetti carbonara. A Chardonnay goes well with seafood such as roast cod with thyme and an intense and lusciously sweet Riesling pairs beautifully with spicy black bean toastadas.

Riesling this way

Dry versus medium white wine

Dry white wine, with little to no residual sugar, offers a crisp and refreshing taste – think Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. These wines are perfect with fish, vegetables, and salads. Grown in warmer climates, the grapes have more tannin extracted, resulting in a drier wine. They’re also harvested earlier in the season and undergo a longer fermentation process, enhancing their dry, vibrant character.

A medium white wine strikes the perfect balance between dry and sweet, with examples like our Classics Vouvray, made with Chenin Blanc grapes, and Riesling. These wines pair beautifully with seafood, grilled vegetables, and creamy pasta, offering a gorgeous mix of flavours.

Try Sauvignon Blanc

Top white wine varieties

Pinot Grigio is a light-bodied wine, often crisp and fresh, with a bright character and an alcohol content of around 12.5% or less. In contrast, Chardonnay is a fuller-bodied beauty, typically over 13.5% alcohol, with rich, creamy flavours that linger on the palate. Chardonnay has a remarkable ability to showcase the unique characteristics of its growing region – known as ‘terroir.’ For example, chalky soils give it a bright, clean character, while clay-rich soils bring out fruitier, rounder flavours.

Chenin Blanc is a prime example of how oak ageing can influence and transform a wine. With its natural acidity, it offers refreshing crispness with zesty mineral notes alongside smooth flavours of apricot and vanilla. When aged in oak, however, Chenin Blanc takes on indulgent flavours of butterscotch, baked apple, marzipan, and a touch of nutmeg.

See our Chenin Blanc

Published 3.2.2025