7 ABC’s of “Anything but Chardonnay” – White Wine Alternatives
Are you a Chardonnay drinker? The “ABC - Anything But Chardonnay” movement began several years ago when many brand-level chardonnay producers all wanted to mimic the success of Kendall Jackson with that oaky, buttery, creamy flavor and texture. In 2024 we are fortunate to have many faces and facets of Chardonnay. Chardonnay styles now vary from the unoaked crisp apple and pear expressions to the new oak, barrel-aged buttery, creamy mouth-feel variety.
OK, we love Chardonnay, but why not widen our horizons with these 7 white wine varietals that are gaining more attention? Each of the wines I have chosen has a 90+ point or above ratings or medal winners. The wine examples can hail from such diverse wine regions as South America, Alsace, Spain, California, France, USA, New Zealand, Texas, and South Africa. Let’s talk about trying Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Picpoul, Pinot Gris, Albariño, and a White Bordeaux-style blend.
Party Idea: Throw a sampling party of these 7 standout wines and add these delicious alternative varietals to your wine Rolodex©.
Sauvignon Blanc-US – France – New Zealand
Sauvignon Blanc grapes make a white wine that takes on the different expressions of the area’s terroir – climate, soil, sun, wind, and elevation. For example, a Sonoma Russian River Sauvignon Blanc like Merry Edwards has aromas and tastes of tropical fruit and Crème brûlée. A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc like Kim Crawford may have aromas of grapefruit and grass that is evident in the wines of NZ’s Marlborough region. A French Sancerre from the Loire Valley or White Bordeaux (see below) are the old world gold standards of Sauvignon Blanc.
2018 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma, Russian River - $30 for a ½ bottle, 375 ML
Wine Spectator, 93 Points
Tasting Notes: This wine exhibits notes of muskmelon, mango, papaya, and guava that widen the aroma, along with accents of white peach, nectarine and Meyer lemon. Hints of minerality, crème brûlée, and toasted hazelnuts add even more sophistication. This wine is lush with good viscosity. Sweet Ruby Red grapefruit, tangerine zest, and lively acidity throughout balance this richness.
Merry Edwards is my absolute favorite Sauvignon Blanc, pricey (note this is a half-bottle) but worth it. The winery in Sonoma, Russian River Region, has a highly entertaining and educational presentation of how they grow their grapes and make their wines. Merry Edwards is one of the early female master’s degree graduates of the celebrated University of California at Davis Enology program.
2022 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, $17
91 Points, Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
2022 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre La Cote des Monts, Damnes, Sancerre, Loire, France, $46
Viognier – France – US - Australia
The most famous white wine in France’s Rhône Valley comes from the Viognier grape. Winemakers in the Condrieu AOC-Appellation d'Origine – in Northern Rhône - create exceptional and expensive wines. Viognier’s New World wine expressions exhibit a rich mouthfeel (much like Chardonnay,) but with floral aromas and flavors of lychee and stone fruits. Try one from Australia’s Eden Valley and the US/Santa Barbara regions.
2017 Yalumba Samuel’s Collection Eden Valley, Australia, $19
95 Points, Decanter Magazine
The aromas are reminiscent of fresh apricots, lifted ginger, saffron, and fresh white flowers. This wine complements spicy dishes so try it with a Moroccan tajine or pork dumplings with ginger and chili oil dipping sauce.
2019 Stephane Ogier Condrieu La Combe de Malleval, Condrieu, Rhone, France, $80
95 Points, Decanter Magazine
2021 Fess Parker Rodney’s Vineyard Viognier, Santa Barbara, California, $26
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Chenin Blanc – Loire Valley - South Africa – Washington State
Chenin Blanc is grown virtually around the world and may be most famously grown and made in the Loire Valley region of France. I visited Amboise in the Loire Valley last August 2023….memorable and age-worthy Chenin Blanc was found everywhere including the well-known Loire regions of Vouvray, Touraine, and Anjou. In South Africa, Chenin Blanc is also known as Steen. Chenin Blanc is used to make everything from dry white wines to sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines. Here I have chosen a New World Washington State Chenin Blanc as my favorite.
2021 Domaine de la Taille Loups Montlouis Clos Michet, Montlouis, Touraine, Loire, France, $40
95 Points, James Suckling
2021 Raats Original Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa, $15
90 Points, Robert Parker
2022 L’Ecole 41 Old Vines Chenin Blanc, Washington State - $22
92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
This wine has delightful aromas of floral, Meyer lemon, passion fruit, guava, and wet stone. It has mouthwatering acidity and flavors of Anjou pear, lime, and citrus custard. There is a lingering finish.
Picpoul – France - Texas - California – the “Lip Stinger”
Southern France, Languedoc region, is the home to Picpoul where it is known as Piquepoul. It is often drunk alone or used as a blending grape in wines to add crisp acidity (thus the “lip stinger moniker) and aromatics to a blend. In Texas Hill Country, Bending Branch Winery, Comfort, Texas has proven that this “lip stinger” is wonderful on its own. It tends to have tangy lemon flavors and even a bit of salty minerality.
2022 Bending Branch Picpoul Blanc, Texas High Plains, $26
Bending Branch introduced Picpoul Blanc to Texas in 2009 and produced its first Estate Picpoul Blanc in 2011. They recommend raw oysters, herb roasted chicken, and filet of sole in tarragon cream sauce as perfect pairings for this wine. Silver medal winner, 2024 San Antonio Stock Show and International Wine Competition.
2022 Bonny Doon Picpoul, Central Coast California, $17
Bonny Doon is known for making Rhône and southern France varietal wines. Check out their 91 Point rating from Wine Enthusiast.
2022 Gerard Bertrand Terroir Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc, South France, $16
90 Points, James Suckling
Albariño - Spain -Portugal - New World
Albariño is a variety of white wine grape most well-known for growing in Galicia (northwest Spain), Spain’s Rias Baixas region, and in northwest Portugal where it is used to make varietal white wines. Albariño is the Galician name for the grape; in Portugal it is known as Alvarinho. In the US, this grape is planted primarily in California, Oregon, and Texas.
2019 Granbazan Etiqueta Verde Albariño, Rias Baixas Spain, $22
92 Points, Wine & Spirits Also rated at #91 of Wine Enthusiast “Top 100 of 2020.”
Tasting Notes: This wine has a pale yellow and chartreuse color. An assertively perfumed nose displays an array of honeysuckle, citrus, and golden apple fruit scents. Sappy, penetrating and pure, this wine offers crackling lemon-lime flavors and a slight hint of saltiness… a great pairing with scallops or any seafood. You can almost feel the sunny Spanish Atlantic coast drinking this wine.
2022 Joao Portugal Ramos Alvarinho, $19
92 Points, James Suckling
Pinot Gris/Grigio- Alsace - Oregon -Other New World Locations
Pinot Gris/Grigio is a white wine grape variety thought to be a clone of the Pinot Noir variety. It normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (gris meaning "gray" in French) but the grapes can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance. Pinot Gris is grown around the globe. The expressions range from the "spicy" full-bodied Alsace, France Pinot Gris styles to the lighter-bodied, more acidic Pinot Grigio Italian styles.
I visited Alsace in 2019 and enjoyed the Alsatian style of Pinot Gris. The delicate flavors match well with spicy dishes as well as luxurious one’s like foie gras and loin of lamb. This style is often duplicated in New World wine regions such as Marlborough, New Zealand, Tasmania, South Australia, and in the US in Washington and Oregon. These New World wines tend to have a moderate to low acidity, higher alcohol levels, and an almost oily texture that contributes to the full-bodied nature of the wine. The photo above is from the picturesque village of Riquewihr in Alsace, which inspired the town from the Disney movie, “Beauty and the Beast.”
2015 Lucien Albrecht Grand Cru Pfingstberg Pinot Gris, Alsace, France, $37
2018 Acrobat Pinot Gris, Oregon - $14
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes: Fresh and vibrant, this harmonious white is appealing for its aromas of Asian pear and ripe cantaloupe. Flavors of fresh pear and Fuji apple abound. This is a medium bodied mouth-feel with a bright finish. Acrobat represents some very good-valued wines. This wine is perfect with grilled fish, cream sauces, chicken, and pork dishes. It would be wonderful with foie gras.
White Bordeaux: A White Wine Blend – France - Chile - New World Locations
White Bordeaux wines are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle grapes. This wine can only be called a White Bordeaux if it is made in the Bordeaux region of France. I visited the Pessac-Leognan region of Bordeaux last August 2023. It is famous for its high-quality white and red Bordeaux blends. One of the most famous of the region is Domaine de Chevalier – highly recommended here. See Wine Wanderings newsletter on their Owner/CEO, “Domaine de Chevalier: An Interview with Olivier Bernard, A Family Estate, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France.”
Of course, you can find this wonderful blend made in other countries and wine regions, particularly Australia (wonderful in the Margaret River region), South Africa, Chile, and the US. They may be called “SSB or Sauvignon Semillon Blend” wines. You can spend quite a bit for a high-quality White Bordeaux, so I’m going to suggest a top producer from Chile who makes this blend.
2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, $100
98 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes: With its pale gold color and vivid glimmers, this wine exhibits an intense and exotic floral nose of yellow peach, mangoes, and citrus fruit. There is a long, elegant finish with great finesse. In Bordeaux, I enjoyed this wine with lunch of salmon and herbed vegetables. Thank you, Olivier Bernard, for your warm hospitality. The blend is 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon.
2022 Calcu Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, Colchagua Valley, Chile, $17
90 Points, James Suckling, 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon
We all love Chardonnay in all of its various styles and expressions. However, other white wines represent a whole new range of scents, flavors, and mouthfeel to complement a range of dishes, particularly Asian dishes, with spices that tend to fight with the oakiness of Chardonnay. These alternative white wines offer new terroir (a wine “sense of place”) adventure. Anything But Chardonnay? Experience these traditional and new classics and let us know your own personal new white wine favorites.
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Hi Rebecca, please take pictures from the party. Would love to use them in a future article. Tricia
Great article, you gave me a few favs plus a few new to try. I will do a tasting party once it warms up here, as my friends love sampling on the patio!