The Best White Wines For Beginners – The Wine Ninjas

Over the past couple of years, my article titled The Smoothest Red Wines For Beginners has become my most popular post of all time. And, judging by the volume of traffic it gets, I’d imagine it might be one of the most popular wine articles on the internet. So it seemed unwise not to do a follow-up about the best white wines for beginners (sorry it’s taken me so long). 

Again, the concept of a “beginners’” wine initially felt like an odd one. But, as long as you’re using a set of carefully considered criteria, I reckon a list of white wines for beginners can definitely be a useful take-off point for those looking to expand their wine appreciation. 

The criteria I’ve used here are similar to those used for the reds, including factors like availability and price. Because beginners want affordable wines they can pick up easily, right? But if you’re taking the time to search online for wines to try, presumably you also want them to be interesting and flavourful too. 

So, here’s my list of the top five best white wines for beginners. As with any list involving personal taste, I’m anticipating some disagreement, so please comment below with your suggestions. You’ve all been very nice to me on the red wines list, so thanks for that. You wine guys are so polite x

By the way, some of my favourite whites didn’t make the cut. I love Riesling, for example, but its distinctive flavour can be polarising and the good stuff is often only found in specialist shops. Cheap Riesling can be nasty or overly sweet so I wouldn’t stick it on a beginners’ list. 

5. Chardonnay

Chardonnay is one of the most misunderstood grapes; its versatility and the sheer variety of styles it offers are both its main strength and its greatest weakness. It grows all over the world, and can taste very different depending on the climate it comes from and its methods of production. BUT, I couldn’t leave it off a list like this.

Chardonnay is generally quite full bodied and some styles can have an oaky or creamy, apple pie taste.  Just avoid the really cheap stuff as it’ll give you a world-class headache as well as tasting truly revolting. As an inexpensive but good quality starting point for Chardonnay, I’d recommend a Macon de Villages, from France’s Burgundy region. For a fuller take on Chardonnay see my article here. 

4. Sauvignon Blanc

Some might call it boring, but good Sauv Blanc can be truly beautiful. Some of the finest French wines from the most prestigious parts of the Loire and Bordeaux are Sauvignon Blancs. But you’re a beginner, aren’t you? So you’re presumably not looking to fork out for a Barons De Rothschild Bordeaux Blanc.

New Zealand Sauv Blanc, from the Marlborough region, is one of the most popular whites in the UK, although it’s not always to my taste. It can exhibit a bitter, ammonia-like smell that’s similar to (there’s no delicate way to put this) cat’s pee. Still, lots of people love it. Personally, I’ll stick to the French stuff which, in contrast to the richness of Chardonnay, is more light, fresh, elegant and citrussy, although somewhat fuller and more stone-fruity when from warmer regions. For more info on Sauvignon Blanc see me article on different types of Sauvignon Blanc.

3. Picpoul de Pinet

Here we have a solid, reliable crowd pleaser; you always know what you’re getting with a Picpoul de Pinet. Crisp, dry, zesty and French, it’s different enough to stand out from the usual Chardonnay/Sauv Blanc crowd but, because of its AOC status in the Languedoc Valley, you’re always guaranteed a minimum standard of quality. So, similar to the (spoiler alert) Gavi below (but unlike the Chardonnay and Sauv Blanc above), you can’t really go wrong here. Nine or ten of your English pounds (or a dozen of your US bucks) will get you where you need to be. 

2. Gavi

My girlfriend loves the Italian wine Gavi which, although not usually very expensive, comes from a restricted area (called a DOCG in Italy) and so needs to adhere to certain, minimum quality standards. In other words, it’s always pretty decent. Made from the Cortese grape, it might not be the most complex or exciting wine, but its light, fresh and floral flavours always go down well at parties and is easy to get hold of. Speaking of which…

1. Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio)

When I first got into buying wine, I used to plump for Pinot Grigio a lot of the time. It’s easy to drink, very cheap and, to be brutally honest, probably an ideal choice for the total beginner who’s happy to drink their wine out of a plastic tumbler. But that’s not you, is it. Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading The Wine Ninjas. So, I’d suggest what you’re really looking for is a Pinot Gris.

But what’s the difference, I hear you cry. Well, they’re both made from the same grape, but Pinot Grigio is an Italian style that is extremely light and pale. It’s fine drunk really cold on a hot day but, let’s face it, it’s pretty boring. 

Pinot Gris, on the other hand, often hails from France, Germany, the UK or New Zealand and has lovely rich fruity flavours of honey, pear and peach. It’s far more aromatic and interesting than the Grigio and although it’s a little harder to find it’s generally inexpensive. The best English wines I’ve tasted have all been Pinot Gris, and the best value supermarket wine I’ve ever had is the Freeman’s Bay New Zealand Pinot Gris from Aldi. See my vintage review of it here.  

Although this list was tricky to put in order, I’m confident in Pinot Gris as my best white wine for beginners.