White wines
Vinoly's whites look above all to Burgundy: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Chardonnays that age like great reds. Alongside, Loire Sauvignon Blanc, the sweet wines of Sauternes and a few carefully chosen Italian whites. Bottles for noble fish, shellfish and refined cheeses, or to keep for a few years.
Appellations
Which white wines you find on Vinoly
Age-worthy whites, mostly French: Burgundy Chardonnay, Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Sauternes Sémillon, with a few Italian labels chosen year by year. These are not aperitif wines: they stand up to the richest cooking and improve for ten years in the cellar.
White Burgundy, village by village
- **Meursault**: opulent, buttery, hazelnut and honey. Premiers Crus Perrières, Charmes, Genevrières. Domaine Roulot, Coche-Dury, Comtes Lafon, Pierre Morey, Mikulski.
- **Puligny-Montrachet**: taut, floral, mineral. Domaine Leflaive and the Grand Cru Bâtard-Montrachet.
- **Corton-Charlemagne**: the white Grand Cru of the Corton hill, monumental and austere. Bonneau du Martray, Coche-Dury.
All from Chardonnay fermented in barrel, with long ageing on the lees.
Loire and Sauternes
Didier Dagueneau's Pouilly-Fumé (Silex, Pur Sang) is the deepest Sauvignon Blanc of the Loire: flint, citrus, tension. Sauternes is the realm of botrytised Sémillon: Château d'Yquem makes the most celebrated sweet wine in the world, able to last a century.
At what temperature to serve a serious white
Never ice-cold. 10-12 °C for Burgundy Chardonnay, 8-10 °C for Loire and Sauternes. A wide glass helps mature wines open; if the wine is too cold, ten minutes in the glass are enough.
How long they age
Burgundy village wines are ready after three years; Premiers and Grands Crus show best between five and fifteen. Pouilly-Fumé five to ten years. Sauternes is practically eternal. Pages state the vintage and, where useful, the suggested time to open the bottle.
What to pair them with
Shellfish, oysters and scallops for Puligny and Pouilly-Fumé; butter-cooked fish, poultry in cream and refined cheeses for Meursault and Corton-Charlemagne; foie gras, blue cheeses and dry pastries for Sauternes.