Dry white wine
Dry white wine is white wine in which almost all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. That does not mean it tastes sour or boring: everything from fresh Sauvignon Blanc to full-bodied Chardonnay can be dry. Here you can read which grapes and regions correspond to which flavors, with bottles you can actually buy.
Dry white wine by grape
The grape tells you the most about how a dry white wine tastes. We have a dedicated page on the four best-known varieties.
Sauvignon blanc
Crisp and distinctive, with citrus, gooseberry and sometimes passion fruit.
About Sauvignon Blanc →
Chardonnay
The grape from Burgundy that grows everywhere. Fresh without oak, round and buttery with oak.
About Chardonnay →
Riesling
The label says trocken when it is dry. Green apple, citrus and lots of freshness.
About Riesling →
Pinot grigio
Light, soft and easy-drinking. One of the most popular everyday white wines.
About Pinot Grigio →Dry refers to sugar, not acidity
During fermentation, yeast converts the sugar in grape juice into alcohol. If the winemaker lets the process continue fully, almost no sugar remains and the wine is dry. Under European rules, a wine may be called dry with up to 4 grams of sugar per liter, or up to 9 grams if the wine has enough acidity. You do not taste that as sweetness. The vast majority of white wine in stores is dry: Gall & Gall has almost 600.
Dry does not mean sour or lacking in fruit. A Sauvignon Blanc can smell of passion fruit and a Viognier of peach, while still being dry. What makes the difference is mainly the grape, the climate and the oak. In a cool climate, such as the Moselle, the Loire or Austria, the acidity stays high and the wine is fresh and crisp. In warm regions, such as southern France, South Africa or Argentina, the grapes ripen more fully and the wine is richer. If the wine matures in oak barrels, notes of vanilla, toast and butter are added. You can broadly divide dry white wine into three styles: light and fresh, fruity and soft, and full and round.
In brief
Sixteen bottles, from fresh to full-bodied and rounded
Gall & Gall sells almost 600 dry white wines. To help you get started, we've divided them into three flavour styles, plus a selection of alcohol-free and light wines. Four bottles per style that show you what each tastes like.
Light and fresh. Crisp, with plenty of acidity and citrus. The driest style of all, and ideal as an aperitif or with fish.
Eco Sauvignon Blanc
Organic sauvignon blanc with green apple, lime and gooseberry.
Bodega Garzón Sauvignon Blanc
Lively and expressive, with lemon and passion fruit.
Karl Erbes Riesling Trocken
Dry riesling with green apple, citrus and lively minerality.
Winzer Krems Grüner Veltliner
Austria's most important grape. Lively and fresh, often with a hint of white pepper.
Fruity and soft. Softer acidity and more fruit, such as peach, pear and yellow apple. Easy to drink on its own.
Sarría Verdejo
Juicy and fresh with soft acidity. Nectarine and yellow apple.
Inycon Pinot Grigio
Very fruity and slightly more floral than pinot grigio from northern Italy.
Planeta Segreta Grillo
Made from the native grillo grape. White peach and the freshness of a juicy pear.
Jean Leon Xarel·lo
One hundred percent xarel·lo, a Catalan grape also found in cava. Made by the Torres team.
Full-bodied and rounded. Riper fruit, lower acidity and sometimes oak ageing. A white wine that can stand up to hearty food.
Arrogant Frog Toasty and Buttery
Oak-aged chardonnay with notes of toasted bread and butter.
Alamos Chardonnay
From the Catena estate. Full-bodied and rich with tropical fruit, but also fresh lemon.
Off the Charts Viognier
Viognier with the typical aroma of peach and apricot.
Off the Charts Chenin Blanc
Mango, pineapple, papaya and citrus, with a crisp dry finish.
With no or little alcohol. Dry white wine from which the alcohol has been removed, or which contains little alcohol.
Torres Natureo Chardonnay
Alcohol-free chardonnay with pineapple, lemon and white blossom.
Opia Chardonnay
Organic and alcohol-free. Acacia blossom, peach, citrus and a hint of vanilla.
Studio Italiano Pinot Grigio
Pinot grigio from Veneto, dealcoholised in Berlin. Pear, yellow apple and melon.
Kaapse Veer Chardonnay
Chardonnay with just 6% alcohol and fewer calories. Peach, lemon and pineapple.
Read about how alcohol-free wine is made and what you can expect from it on our alcohol-free wine page.
From citrus and grass to peach and butter
Citrus & green apple
Sauvignon blanc, riesling trocken and grüner veltliner: lime, lemon, green apple and often something spicy or grassy. Crisp and thirst-quenching.
Peach & pear
Verdejo, pinot grigio and grillo: riper fruit, soft acidity and sometimes a slight bitterness on the finish, like almond.
Tropical fruit & butter
Chardonnay, viognier and chenin blanc from a warm climate: pineapple, apricot and mango. Oak adds vanilla, toast and butter.
Flavor profile of an average dry white wine. An oak-aged chardonnay scores lower on freshness and higher on body; a riesling trocken scores higher on freshness instead.
How to serve dry white wine
Cold, but not ice-cold. The fuller the wine, the slightly warmer you can serve it.
Fresh at 8 to 10 degrees
Serve light, fresh wines such as sauvignon blanc, riesling and pinot grigio at 8 to 10 degrees. That means a bottle that has been in the fridge for a few hours. Colder than that and you will taste little more than acidity.
More about wine temperature →Full-bodied at 10 to 12 degrees
Take an oak-aged chardonnay or a full-bodied viognier out of the fridge about fifteen minutes before serving. This brings out the fruit and creamy notes better. Pour into a roomier glass.
To the glasses →Storing an opened bottle
Replace the cork or wine stopper and store the bottle upright in the fridge. This keeps dry white wine good for two to three days. A light, fresh wine loses its fruitiness first.
More about white wine →Dry white wine at the table
Dry white wine is the easiest wine to pair with food. Rule of thumb: light wine with light food, full-bodied wine with creamy and hearty dishes.
Greens and goat cheese
Green salad, asparagus, goat cheese and dishes with fresh herbs. Also delicious as an aperitif.
Fish and shellfish
Mussels, oysters, fried fish, sushi and crab salad. The fresh acidity works like a squeeze of lemon.
Tapas and pasta
Grilled prawns, Italian starters, pasta with salmon and light Mediterranean dishes.
Creamy and full-bodied
Salmon, chicken with cream sauce, risotto, soft cheeses and mild curry. An oak-aged chardonnay can even be paired with veal.
The right glass for dry white wine
Serve fresh white wine in a smaller bowl so it stays cool and the aromas remain concentrated. For a full-bodied chardonnay, choose a roomier glass. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything else you wanted to know about dry white wine
Is your question not listed? Read more about white wine or get in touch.
To white wine →What is dry white wine?
What is the difference between dry and sweet white wine?
Which dry white wine tastes good?
Which dry white wine should you use for cooking?
How much alcohol does dry white wine contain?
At what temperature and in which glass do you serve dry white wine?
Buy dry white wine
Want the bottle at home right away? Order dry white wine online from Gall & Gall. Gall & Gall has 575, 84 of which are on sale.
Oveja Negra Reserva Chardonnay Viognier
Prices as of October 9, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can find the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; you pay nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.