White wine is often overlooked as a gifting option — especially in the colder months — but there are a number of worthy expressions sure to wow your discerning friends and family just as much as that big-name bottle of red or sparkling.
This list showcases the range of what white wine has to offer, from crisp Sauvignon Blancs for those just getting into wine to deeply complex Chardonnays. There’s even a Grenache Blanc from California and some surprising finds from the south of France for those looking to venture off the beaten path. Whether your aim is to wow your wine-loving family member with an impressive bottle or nudge your stubborn friend to try something new, there’s a bottle on this list for everyone.
Here are seven of the best white wines to gift this year.
Best Budget White: Comtesse Marion Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Best Splurge White: Ökonomierat Rebholz Kastanienbusch Riesling GG 2023
Best White Wine For Beginners: Elena Walch Sauvignon Alto Adige 2024
Best White Wine for Geeks: Âmevive Grenache Blanc
Best White Wine for Dinner Pairings: SOM Wines Eola Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2023
Best White Wine to Impress: 00 Wines VGW 2022
Best Bang-for-Your-Buck White: Domaine Bellegarde Pierre Blanche Jurançon Sec 2023
Best Budget White
Comtesse Marion Sauvignon Blanc 2023
As prices for Sauvignon Blancs from well known regions like Sancerre continue to rise, budget-conscious shoppers should look to more under-the-radar regions. This bottle comes from the south of France and is sourced from vineyards planted on rocky volcanic soils along the Languedoc-Roussillon’s coastal hills. The sunny, Mediterranean influence comes across in the expressive wine, offering flavors of passion fruit, freshly squeezed citrus, and a touch of jalapeño. The balance here is impressive — especially for its $15 price tag.
Average price: $15
Rating: 90
Best Splurge White
Ökonomierat Rebholz Kastanienbusch Riesling GG 2023
The concept of a “splurge wine” for the holidays might bring to mind images of white Burgundy, but why not switch it up with a stunning Riesling? This bottling from Germany’s historic Rebholz estate comes from the steep, rocky Kastanienbusch site in the Pfalz. The grosses gewächs (GG) designation on the label indicates it’s a dry wine from a great growth vineyard, similar to Burgundy’s grand cru classification. The special vineyard site translates to an intensely concentrated, layered expression of Riesling. The nose opens with aromas of lime zest and dried herbs, and the palate brings ripe, unctuous tropical fruit notes of pineapple and guava. It’s a bottle that’s sure to make an impression.
Average price: $140
Rating: 95
Best White Wine for Beginners
Elena Walch Sauvignon Alto Adige 2024
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular grape varieties for those just dipping their toes into white wine. While beginners typically reach for bottles from New Zealand or the Loire Valley, try introducing your Savvy B-curious friend to the wines of Alto Adige. The mountainous region in northern Italy is known for its beautifully balanced, high-elevation wines that bring both crisp acidity and ripe fruit character. This example from legendary producer Elena Walch offers notes of green apples and grapefruit with a touch of white pepper, all wrapped in a waxy, slightly rounded texture.
Average price: $28
Rating: 93
Best White Wine for Geeks
Âmevive Grenache Blanc 2024
It’s rare to see a single-varietal Grenache Blanc, even in the regions where it’s most commonly grown like the south of France and Catalonia. That should make this bottling from Santa Barbara County extremely compelling, even to your most in-the-know wine friend. Its intriguing nature is further amplified by the producer itself: Âmevive is a small-scale winery founded by farmer and winemaker Alice Anderson that works with organic vineyard sites across California’s Central Coast to craft elegant wines. This one delivers notes of juicy peaches, lemon zest, and marzipan. The palate expertly combines saline minerality, acidity, and a rich, weighty texture.
Average price: $32
Rating: 94
Best White Wine for Dinner Pairings
SOM Wines Eola Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2023
From cheese boards to buttery seafood pastas, Chardonnay is an easy choice for a wide range of holiday food pairings. This expression from the Willamette Valley showcases the grape variety’s natural acidity with an added bit of heft from its nine-month aging in 100 percent new French oak. The wine balances notes of crisp green apple, citrus, and vanilla with a core of salty minerality. It has enough structure to stand up to the season’s weightier dishes but is delicate enough to not overpower the food.
Average price: $75
Rating: 94
Best White Wine to Impress
00 Wines VGW 2022
If there’s someone on your list who thinks they’ve seen all the wine world has to offer, try introducing them to this stand-out Chardonnay from Oregon. This bottling, creatively dubbed VGW (“Very Good White”), is made using the unconventional Black Chardonnay method, exposing the grape must to oxygen early to avoid unwanted oxygenation later on. The result is a wine with remarkable richness and complexity. Layers of roasted hazelnuts, preserved lemon zest, beeswax, and spiced apples fill the palate. It’s a truly impressive American wine.
Average price: $90
Rating: 96
Best Bang-for-Your-Buck White
Domaine Bellegarde Pierre Blanche Jurançon Sec 2023
Long known for its sweet dessert wines, the Jurançon region in the south of France is often overlooked when shopping for dry white wines. This bottle from Domaine Bellegarde proves that the area’s wines belong on your gift list. Made with a blend of local Petit and Gros Manseng grapes, this wine delivers notes of baked apples, salted almonds, crème brûlée, and honey with a delightful rounded, waxy texture. It’s the kind of complexity you’d expect from a wine at least twice its price.
Average price: $30
Rating: 96
