The 30 Best White Wines for 2025

2025 is the year of white wine. So let’s get it started right! We taste a wide variety of white wines each year at VinePair. It’s an amazing category and we’re excited to see our wine culture lean toward the straw, lemon, and golden hues.

Of all the wines we tasted, two varieties shine the brightest in complexity and diversity of characteristics: Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. On this list you’ll find vibrant expressions from classic French regions, South Africa, the Finger Lakes, California, and beyond. Outside of these popular varieties, this list also features more off-the-beaten-path finds like Verdicchio, Petit Manseng, and even Scheurebe.

So have a look and get ready to go shopping! Here are the 30 best white wines for 2025.

Why You Should Trust VinePair

Throughout the year, VinePair conducts dozens of tastings for our Buy This Booze product roundups, highlighting the best bottles across the world’s most popular wine and spirits categories.

As part of this work, VinePair’s tasting and editorial staff samples thousands of bottles every year. This helps us keep a finger on the pulse of what’s new and exciting. It also provides us with the crucial context needed to distinguish the simply good from the truly great — whether from a quality or value-for-money perspective, or both.

VinePair’s mission is to offer a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking.

How We Taste

We believe in tasting all products as our readers typically would: with full knowledge of the producer and — importantly — price. Our tastings are therefore not conducted blind.

VinePair’s tasting panel evaluates every wine on its aromas, flavors, structure, balance, and quality. We also consider whether or not the wine showed typicity for its specific grape or region.

How We Compiled This List

For the best white wines roundup, our tastings department reviewed the wines that were featured across VinePair’s buying guides throughout the year and compiled a list of the bottles that showcase the best of what white wine has to offer this year. We also considered what each wine brought to the table based on quality, value, regional diversity, and availability in the U.S. to ensure a comprehensive selection.

Best White Wines Under $25

Mayr Grüner Veltliner 2022

If you love white wine but haven’t tried Grüner Veltliner, here’s where to start. It’s a grape native to Austria and can be made to be rich and age-worthy, or fun and easy, like this liter bottle. Beware: This will become a household staple. You’ve been warned. It has notes of waxy Meyer lemons and salty bistro butter on the nose. The palate is round and juicy with a bright, refreshing acidity.

Average price: $15
Rating: 90

Fox Run Vineyards Kaiser Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2021

In the wide spectrum of Chardonnay characteristics it’s nice to see an example that bridges a few key styles. This single-vineyard bottling from the Finger Lakes has a toasty nose with some brûléed pear and a hint of wet stone. On the palate those aromas carry over but are met with bright acidity. It’s a Chardonnay that has aromatic and textural depth while still being light and refreshing. That’s a damn success.

Average price: $18
Rating: 91

Anthony Road Wine Company Pinot Gris 2022

Riesling isn’t the only cool-climate white wine grape that can thrive in New York’s Finger Lakes. The Pinot family of grapes (Blanc, Gris and Noir) can also shine here. Yet they require a little more attention to coax out their true potential. Anthony Road has cracked the Finger Lakes Pinot Gris code with this very terroir-driven expression. It’s crisp with refreshing pops of citrus, a great acid structure, and slate-like minerality.

Average price: $21
Rating: 91

Apollo’s Praise Lahoma Vineyard Dry Riesling 2023

Every year we taste more Riesling from the Finger Lakes, and every year we experience something new. This offering from winemaker Kelby James Russell takes the grape to yet another level of expression. The nose brings perfumed aromas of apricots, mango, and grapefruit and the palate is brimming with more ripe stone fruit and tropical fruit notes. Though this wine is packed with fresh fruit flavors, the bright acidity and minerality still shine through on the finish.

Average price: $22
Rating: 92

Best White Wines Under $50

Wandering Cellars Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2022

Wandering Cellars hits the nail on the head with this expression of Chenin, crafted from old vines in South Africa’s Stellenbosch region. It’s wonderfully balanced between a light mineral vibe and a depth from the vine age and lees aging. There are subtle hints of chamomile and pears with a rich, waxy texture.

Average price: $25
Rating: 93

Bow & Arrow Union School Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2023

Chenin Blanc is all about texture and depth. In its home, the Loire Valley, that texture comes through in various styles from sweet to dry to sparkling. This is also becoming apparent in the Pacific Northwest. This bottle from the Willamette Valley has a subtle mineral-driven nose with slight hints of pear and apple. The palate is texturally amazing, with a rich, juicy fruit character lifted by bright acidity. There’s usually more to an American wine region than what it’s known for. This is a great example.

Average price: $26
Rating: 94

Pfeffingen Dry Scheurebe 2022

Scheurebe is a rare aromatic grape variety local to Germany and Austria. It might be tough to find, but for fans of fruity, floral white wines, it’s definitely worth seeking out. This expression from the Pfeffingen winery in Germany’s Pfalz region is incredibly perfumed, brimming with notes of juicy peaches, white pepper, and orange blossoms. On the palate, the wine’s intense fruit notes are lifted by a stony minerality and bright acidity.

Average price: $26
Rating: 91

Stefano Zoli Verdicchio di Matelica 2023

Steely, crisp, and round with refreshment is the Verdicchio grape all day. This bottle comes from the region of Matelica (not the band but, it’s really hard not to say this wine with a metal face) in the hills of Le Marche on the eastern coast of Italy. It’s one of the unsung heroes of white wine from the peninsula that will have you scrambling for more. This bottle is almost Chablis-like in character, light-bodied and acidic, but still packs some serious energy and verve. Jasmine, pear, fresh citrus, and herbs fill the palate, while a zippy, mineral backbone holds everything together. Welcome to Verdicchio.

Average price: $26
Rating: 96

Orr Wines Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023

Speaking of the Pacific Northwest and Chenin Blanc, Washington is also a great place to find texturally awesome wines from this variety. Winemaker Erica Orr focuses on native grapes from the Rhône and Loire Valley of France. This is her idea of a Washington Chenin and we’re here for it. This wine shows the refreshing side of Chenin. It’s floral and salty on the nose, and the palate brings orchard fruit notes and great acidity.

Average price: $28
Rating: 91

Emme Wines ‘tell your sister i say hi’ 2023

The Colombard grape is known in its native France as an ingredient of Cognac. But when it’s fermented on its skins, it takes on a new personality This skin-contact Colombard from Mendocino showcases its potential. It offers bright aromatics of pear, honey, and chamomile. On the palate it’s well balanced with great texture and acidity.

Average price: $30
Rating: 90

Massican Pinot Grigio 2023

Putting California and Pinot Grigio in the same sentence may seem a bit odd, but not anymore. Winemaker Dan Petroski has proven with his Massican label that crisp, refreshing white wines can be made in places like Napa Valley. So when he released the Massican Pinot Grigio, we had to taste it. And yep, it’s delicious. It’s crisp and refreshing with subtle notes of yellow flowers, citrus, and honeydew melon accented by a sea salt-like minerality.

Average price: $32
Rating: 90

Domaine Oudin Chablis 2022

With 2025 being the projected year of white wine, it would behoove us to celebrate some of the most refreshing and steely Chardonnay on the planet. Wines from Chablis — a sub-area of France’s prestigious Burgundy region — are always made with Chardonnay and rarely see oak. This is a great example if you have yet to experience these crisp white wines. It has a lean, mineral nose and wonderful citrus and saline palate. The texture is so balanced and present, ending with a refreshing finish.

Average price: $34
Rating: 92

Koehler-Ruprecht Kallstadter Annaberg Chardonnay Spätlese Trocken 2021

Keep your eye on German Chardonnay. This bottling from the Pfalz is one of the most beautiful and engaging examples out there. It’s mineral-driven with subtle notes of green apple and pear on the nose. The palate is impeccably balanced with a beautiful, round texture and blazing acidity.

Average price: $34
Rating: 95

La Grange Tiphaine Clef de Sol 2022

Chenin Blanc from the Loire can be a bit dizzying. It can be made in so many forms: sparkling, still, dry, off-dry, or even sweet. But in its dry, still form and in the right hands these wines are stunning. This wine is exactly that. The nose is expertly balanced, with a bright minerality and aromas of salty, freshly whipped butter and ginger. The palate showcases how refreshing and acid-driven Chenin Blanc can be, but with a lovely weight that rounds it out.

Average price: $35
Rating: 95

Isa Wines ‘Claire Annelise’ Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Isabella Morano — one of VinePair’s winemakers to watch for 2025 — is a Savvy B enthusiast. She crafts beautiful and unexpected expressions of this grape from different regions across California, like this bottle from Mendocino. It shows a great contrast between freshness and fullness, with bright citrus notes complemented by hints of biscuits and caramelized apples.

Average price: $35
Rating: 90

The Calling Dutton Ranch Chardonnay 2021

Chardonnay has come a long way in California since the ‘80s. More recently, producers are moving away from the big, oaky examples of the past — but there’s something to be said for oak and this variety. If it’s done well, with a certain level of restraint, it can be wonderful. This wine finds that balance, with a soft oaky nose and subtle fruit. It has a rich palate with great acidity and present depth.

Average price: $35
Rating: 94

Nathan K. Pinot Blanc 2023

Pinot Blanc is not the first grape that comes to mind when thinking about the Finger Lakes, but it often thrives in the same cool climates as Riesling. Natahn K. thought he would give it a go, and wow. The result is balance and depth. The nose is full of roasted pears, citrus, and wet stone minerality. Excellent natural acidity lifts the wine on the palate.

Average price: $36
Rating: 93

Domaine de Congy Pouilly-Fumé 2022

It’s been said that the Loire Valley produces the purest expression of Sauvignon Blanc. Whether or not you subscribe to that notion, the region definitely churns out some of the most lithe and delicate examples. And just over the bridge from the famed town of Sancerre is the wine village of Pouilly-Fumé that dials that purity and elegance up to 11. The nose on this wine has subtle citrus and apple notes with some flinty hints. And the palate is mineral-driven with a blazing acidity, balanced by a slightly creamy texture on the finish.

Average price: $38
Rating: 90

Johan Vineyards Savagnin 2022

It’s very cool to see one of the most ancient grapes in France thrive in the soils of Oregon’s small Van Duzer Corridor AVA. Savagnin is typically found in France’s Jura region, where it makes savory, nutty, and acid-driven wines with great complexity. Johan Vineyards kept the inherent beauty of the grape while allowing the Oregon terroir to shine through. The wine has a slightly herbaceous nose and a waxy, rich palate with hazelnuts, yellow apple, and juicy nectarine notes. All while offering a refreshing, slaking acidity.

Average price: $40
Rating: 92

Cowhorn Vineyards Viognier 2022

Cowhorn Vineyards is so biodynamic they named the winery after one of the most popular aspects of the agricultural practice: burying a cow horn packed with a compost mixture in the vineyard. This is the ethos of their day-to-day work, and we want to thank them for that because this Viognier is such a wonderful offering. Viognier doesn’t get a lot of love in the U.S., and if you haven’t tried this variety yet, this is a great introduction. The nose offers subtle aromas of peaches and vanilla. The palate has a nice medium weight, but still keeps things refreshing with prominent acidity.

Average price: $40
Rating: 92

Forlorn Hope Petite Voile Chardonnay 2018

This wine takes Chardonnay to a whole different level. The wine itself was a happy accident, as winemakers Matthew Rorick and Mara Ambrose found a forgotten barrel of Chardonnay in their cellar that had developed a protective veil of yeast. Nature is awesome. And so is this wine. It’s wonderfully oxidative with a salty, floral nose. The palate offers extreme balance between rich fruit, savory notes, and acidity.

Average price: $40
Rating: 94

One Woman Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2017

Here we have small production Chardonnay from the North Fork of Long Island that’s released after some time aging in bottle. Very European and we’re here for it. Because this current release from winemaker Claudia Purita is drinking so well. It’s right where it needs to be and its reductive quality works with the subtle fruit aromas. The palate is even and full with a nice grip and absolute balance. Looking forward to more vintages of this impressive Long Island wine.

Average price: $42
Rating: 95

Josef Jamek ‘Stein Am Rain’ Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2022

We featured a Grüner Veltliner that’s meant for casual fun and crowd-pleasing situations. Now have a look at a beautiful bottle from the same grape that’s built to age. This wine offers deep, peppery notes with a dose of sweet Meyer lemon on the nose. The palate has a calm weight — the acidity is doing the work in the background, but isn’t front and center. It’s a wine that will age for the next five to 10 years, but is drinking beautifully now.

Average price: $45
Rating: 93

Arnaud Lambert Brézé Saumur Blanc Clos David 2021

Here’s another great example of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. The nose is mineral-driven with fresh citrus and orchard fruit aromas. The palate is rich, with apple, pear, and vanilla notes. The wine’s angular acidity lifts the fruit and develops across the palate into a crisp finish.

Average price: $46
Rating: 94

Rijckaert Arbois ‘En Paradis’ Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2020

While Chardonnay is best known for its role in the wines of Burgundy, this variety also thrives in France’s nearby Jura region. This wine is textured and crisp with beautiful fruit and amazing acidity. There’s well-integrated oak aromas of baking spices on the nose. The palate has great balance between bright citrus and orchard fruit, with a creamy mouthfeel.

Average price: $48
Rating: 94

Best White Wines Under $100

Nalle Winery Hopkins Ranch Chardonnay 2021

Make it Chardonnay and make it oaky. But don’t hit me over the head with the oak. Let me enjoy the depth while still feeling refreshed. That is classic wine from one of the producers that has been making Chardonnay since the ‘70s in Sonoma. The oak aging adds the perfect depth and complexity with notes of fresh herbs, vanilla, and spices. The palate offers a beautiful texture and creamy mouthfeel.

Average price: $58
Rating: 94

Early Mountain Petit Manseng 2022

Petit Manseng, a blending variety native to Southwest France is finding new life as the star grape of the commonwealth of Virgina. Like Chenin Blanc, it can be made into varying styles of sweet, dry, and sparkling. This dry example is the best way to get to know the variety. Early Mountain has been a champion of this grape for years now. It’s wonderfully aromatic on the nose, with notes of stone fruits, white flowers, and citrus. Malolactic fermentation and extended lees aging lends to a rich and textured palate, with layers of waxy white cherries, peaches, and lemon curd. A stunning example of Petit Manseng that shows the potential of this grape in the region.

Average price: $65
Rating: 93

Hirsch Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2022

When you sip this Chardonnay you are experiencing what the monks of medieval France called terroir. A sense of place. This wine showcases the characteristics of where the grapes come from: the extreme Sonoma Coast. It is such a pure American expression of the variety. It has a nose of lemon zest, crisp apples, and subtle herbs. But it’s the palate that will get you. It’s rich, grippy, and lush with an amazing finish and texture. You won’t want it to end.

Average price: $65
Rating: 96

Mayacamas Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2023

This is a Sauvignon Blanc made from mountain fruit off the slopes of Mount Veeder in California’s Napa Valley. The cool, high-elevation growing site leads to zesty notes of lime and grapefruit with a crisp minerality. The wine has great acidity, but isn’t lacking depth. This is a truly impressive Sauvignon Blanc with impeccable freshness from overlooking the valley.

Average price: $65
Rating: 94

Clau de Nell Chenin Blanc 2021

Here is yet another example of Chenin Blanc that we were floored by. This expression from Anjou has a wonderful honeyed nose with hints of ginger spice and ripe, juicy pears. The palate is textured with a present yet subtle edge and a nice, round mouthfeel.

Average price: $71
Rating: 94

FAQs

What is the most popular white wine?

Chardonnay is one one of the most popular white wines in the world. Even though its home is in the renowned region of Burgundy, high-quality expressions of Chardonnay are now produced all around the world, from California to Oregon and from Australia to Italy. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are also some of the most popular white wines in the world.

What’s the best white wine for beginners?

Sauvignon Blanc is a great introduction to white wine. It has expressive fruit aromas and a nice acidity that make it approachable and easy to drink.

*Image retrieved from New Africa via stock.adobe.com

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