White wine is drunk everywhere and understood by very few people, which is a shame, because the basics are not complicated. Here is the history, the production, the main styles, and how to store and pair them. Pour yourself a chilled glass and settle in.
A note on who we are
We are a London company. We do not make these wines. We buy them direct from Tikveš in North Macedonia and from Château de Gourdon in the Southern Rhône, and we check the vintage on every bottle when it lands. Where this article describes how wine is made, it is describing the winery's work, not ours.
History Of White Wine
The history of white wine is as long as wine itself. The earliest evidence of winemaking goes back thousands of years, and Greeks, Romans and Egyptians all shaped what it became.
White wine production became established in French regions like Burgundy in the medieval period. The Industrial Revolution brought presses and bottling methods that changed both the keeping quality and the consistency of what ended up in the glass.
The twentieth century did the rest. New regions came forward, North Macedonia, Australia and South America among them, each with its own grapes, styles and techniques.
How White Wine Is Made
Grapes for white wine are usually picked earlier than red, to hold onto acidity. They go quickly to the winery to avoid spoiling, then get crushed to release the juice.
What makes white wine white is that the skins come out. No skins in the ferment means no colour and no tannin extraction. The juice ferments, yeast turns the sugar into alcohol, and temperature is controlled carefully to protect the aromatics. After ageing, the wine is filtered and bottled.
Types Of White Wine
There are more white grapes than anyone needs to know. These are the ones you'll meet most often.
1. Chardonnay
Chardonnay went through a period of being unfashionable, to the point of an 'Anything But Chardonnay' movement. That is long over. It is one of the most versatile white grapes there is, ranging from medium to full-bodied, and it comes originally from Burgundy.
2. Sauvignon Blanc
Citrus aromas and bright acidity. A safe choice when you don't know what to open. Works with poultry and with vegetables.
3. Riesling
Aromatic, perfumed and intense. Where there is a little sugar left in it, it balances heat well, so it is a good call for spiced food.
4. Pinot Grigio
Floral, light and easy, and one of the best-known Italian whites. Some examples are zestier than others. Good with seafood, vegetables and pasta.
5. Moscato
Sweet and fruity, and usually a dessert wine. Worth smelling properly before you drink it.
Tasting And Pairing White Wine
Look at the colour, then swirl it for a few seconds. That releases the aromatics before you taste, and it can bring out anything from citrus to earthy and mineral notes.
On food: lighter whites like Sauvignon Blanc go well with seafood and salads, while fuller ones like Chardonnay stand up to heartier dishes. If a dessert is very rich, something sweeter alongside it will balance the weight.
For a longer guide to food and wine, see our pairing article.
Storing White Wine
Store unopened bottles somewhere cool and dark, ideally at a steady 10 to 14 C. Keep them out of sunlight and away from swings in temperature. Before opening, chill for anything from a few minutes to a couple of hours. Lighter whites take the cold better. Fuller ones show more if you let them sit for a while out of the fridge.
The Whites We Carry
1. Bela Voda White
A single-vineyard white, aged in French barriques, with white flower aromatics and notes of butter, vanilla and hazelnut from the barrel. Built to keep.
2. Alexandria Premium Cuvée White
Golden with green hues, and fruity on the nose: apple, peach, banana and pear, with well-balanced acidity and a long finish. Note the full name. There is also an Alexandria Classic White, which is a different wine, and the two should never be confused.
3. Temjanika Luda Mara
Dry, aromatic and light on its feet. Floral and citrus-led. Good with cooked vegetables, fresh salads, and warm weather generally.
4. Babuna White
A single-vineyard white with more weight to it than the Temjanika, and a good one to drink with a meal rather than before it.
5. Smederevka
An indigenous Balkan white grape, crisp and unfussy. The everyday bottle of the set.
Full details, grapes and vintages are on each product page, and the whole set sits on the whites page.
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