Beer & Wine Wine

Sure, You Love Rosé. But Try These Whites, Too.

From Assyrtiko to Sauvignon Blanc.

By
Ari Bendersky
Ari Bendersky
Ari Bendersky
Ari Bendersky is a freelance journalist, editor and video producer specializing in food, drinks, travel and wellness. He is based in Chicago.
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Updated 09/17/20
White wine bottles

Liquor.com / Laura Sant

When it comes to white wine, sometimes you want the roundness of a fine Chardonnay, but other times you want a glass of something so dry, acidic and minerally it can be described as "crisp." Whether a Greek Assyrtiko or a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, these food-friendly wines will accompany seafood, salads and more.

We sipped through a range of whites from around the world and settled on 11 you'll want to keep on hand, priced for everyday drinking.

  • 2019 Acquiesce Grenache Blanc (California; $26)

    Acquiesce Grenache Blanc bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This wine’s sensual zaftig bottle begs you to drink from it, and when you pick up the green grapes, pear, honey and wildflowers on the nose, it draws you in even further. Pale yellow in the glass, it shows fresh minerality, bright acid, honeysuckle and tropical fruit.

  • 2017 Chatzivariti Eurynome Assyrtiko (Greece; $25)

    Chatzivariti Eurynome Assyrtiko bottles

     Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    There are a lot of great Greek whites to drink, and this 100% assyrtiko is a terrific place to start. With its lovely nose of white flowers and citrus, it has good acidity and minerality, with a bit of spice and a seriously long finish.

  • 2017 Domaine Vocoret et Fils Les Forêts Chablis Premier Cru (France; $40)

    2017 Domaine Vocoret et Fils Les Forêts Chablis Premier Cru bottle

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    When you want elegance, you can’t go wrong with Chablis. This wine, which comes at a great price for Chablis, is vibrant yellow with that classic nose of green apple, hints of lime and lemon, and a round, lush mouthfeel. It works well with shellfish, especially oysters.

  • 2017 Hacienda de Arínzano Chardonnay (Spain; $20)

    Hacienda de Arínzano Chardonnay bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    You may be scratching your head about a chardonnay from Northern Spain. The region is better known for albariño and verdejo, but this one will surprise you. With citrus and honey on the nose, it offers a rounded mouthfeel with enough freshness to keep it going long after you finish your sip.

    Continue to 5 of 11 below.

  • 2018 Henri Poiron Domaine des Quatres Routes Muscadet (France; $13)

    Henri Poiron Domaine des Quatres Routes Muscadet bottles

     Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    If you’re slurping oysters, you should probably have a bottle of muscadet to go with them. This one has green apple and pineapple on the nose that leads to lemon peel on the palate, just enough acidity and a near-bone dry body. Not an oyster lover? The wine would also hold its own at any barbecue.

  • 2018 Loimer Lois Grüner Veltliner (Austria; $15)

    Loimer Lois Grüner Veltliner bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    For a refreshing example of accessible Austrian grüner, you will never go wrong with Lois. (Please don’t call it “low-is”—it’s pronounced to rhyme with “choice”). At 12% alcohol, it’s zippy, bright and crisp.

  • 2019 Luna Nuda Pinot Grigio (Italy; $13)

    Luna Nuda Pinot Grigio bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    While certain better-known pinot grigios will set you back well over $20, this is a steal at under $15. And there’s enough argument in the bottle to say it stands up to those others: It's crisp, dry, bright and fresh with notes of citrus and apple.

  • 2018 Reguengo de Melgaço Alvarinho (Portugal; $16)

    Reguengo de Melgaço Alvarinho bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Spain is known for its albariños, but Portugal also uses this grape varietal––only it’s spelled alvarinho (same pronunciation). This one is made on an estate on the south bank of the Minho River, which separates the Vinho Verde region from Galicia, in Northern Spain. It’s fresh and stony with good structure, citrus and tropical fruit notes. Lower acidity sets it apart from other alvarinhos.

    Continue to 9 of 11 below.

  • 2018 Rombauer Sauvignon Blanc (California; $24)

    Rombauer Sauvignon Blanc bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    After excelling at Napa chardonnay for years, winemaker Richie Allen pushed for the winery to produce a second white wine, and it finally did in 2014. Refreshingly full of grapefruit, lime, white peach and freshly-rained-on grass, it avoids the harsh vegetal notes often associated with New World sauvignon blanc.

  • 2018 Vietti Roero Arneis (Italy; $23)

    Vietti Roero Arneis bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This Piedmont winery shows why arneis makes such delicious wine. Aged entirely in stainless steel, it’s medium-bodied and delicious on its own. But with sharp acidity, lime, honeydew and grapefruit notes, it’s great to pair with salad, seafood, soft cheeses or white meat.

  • 2019 William Chris Enoch’s Stomp Vineyard Blanc du Bois (Texas; $19)

    William Chris Enoch’s Stomp Vineyard Blanc du Bois bottles

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    You may not associate Texas with crisp white wine—or wine at all. But Texas Hill Country is one of the country’s emerging wine regions and it excels at the native American grape blanc du bois. There’s a lot happening here: fresh grass, lemon, lime, peas and asparagus on the nose with green apple, watermelon rind, grapefruit and vegetal notes in the mouth, plus crisp acid to finish.