What Is Dry White Wine? (Best Types for Cooking & Drinking in 2024)

With their high acidity and citrus fruit flavor, dry whites not only make a perfect summer drink, but they can also add flavor to the blandest of dishes. 

This article explores everything about dry white wine (from Chardonnay to Albarino and all the styles in between) and the best dry white wine bottles for cooking and drinking. 

Also, explore the grape varieties and how to pair them with food. 

In addition, we’ll also show you why some of the exquisite dry whites are worthy investments and how to invest in them through Vinovest!

What Are Dry White Wines?

A dry white is any white wine with little to no residual sugar. Some typical varieties are Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Gruner Veltliner.     

This minimal residual sugar results from the grapes’ naturally low sugars and the winemaking process.

During malolactic fermentation, the sugar in the grape juice converts to alcohol. If the winemaker stops fermentation mid-way, the wine is left with residual sugar.

This residual sugar gives a natural sweetness to the wine.

A wine with less than 10 grams of residual sugar is considered dry, and above 30 grams is considered sweet wine or dessert wine.

Here’s a quick breakdown of wine sweetness level (residual sugar) so you can compare the sweetness of dry whites vs. sweet wine:

• Bone Dry Wine: <1 gram per liter
• Dry Wine: 1-10 g/L
• Off-Dry Wine: 10-30 g/L
• Sweet Wine: >30 g/L

Best Styles of Dry White Wine For Cooking

Dry white wines can add complexity and depth of flavor to your favorite recipes! 

Depending on the dish you’re cooking, here are some excellent dry whites to use to prepare different types of food:

1. Vegetable Dishes and Creamy Desserts
2. Soups, Stews, and Creamy Sauce Dishes
3. Chicken and Veal Dishes
4. Pork, Lamb, Turkey, and Creme Dishes
5. Beef Dishes
6. Seafood Dishes

1. Vegetable Dishes and Creamy Desserts

Best dry white wine types to try:  

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Pinot Grigio
• dry Vermouth
• unoaked Chardonnay
• Grüner Veltliner
• Verdejo

Crisp, light white wines like Sauvignon Blanc typically have a herbal and floral flavor that adds depth and flavor to vegetable dishes.  

Try a crisp, dry, white wine with sauteed artichoke, tomato dishes, Swiss chard, eggplant, garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms.

The moderate alcohol content and acidity in these wines are also the perfect ingredient for creamy desserts like wine mousse parfait with peaches or sauvignon blanc sorbet.  Oaked Chardonnay imparts a sweet flavor of vanilla and caramel. 

2. Soups, Stews, and Creamy Sauce Dishes

Best dry white wine types to try: 

• Albarino
• Dry Sherry

Dry Sherry is a good choice for deglazing and is the perfect cooking wine for soups and chicken dishes. 

Wines with intense flavors like oaked Chardonnay are the perfect addition to buttery and creamy sauces, stews, and Italian dishes like fettuccine Alfredo and mushroom risotto. 

3. Chicken and Veal Dishes

Best dry white wine types to try: 

• Dry Marsala
• Madeira

Dry Marsala imparts a complex flavor to any dish. Cooking it with chicken and veal adds spice and distinctly nutty flavor. 

4. Pork, Lamb, Turkey and Creme Dishes

Best dry white wine types to try: 

• Prosecco
• Moscato

Sparkling wines like Prosecco and Moscato can add sweetness and acidity to a dish. You can use it for making creme dishes, pork, lamb, and turkey.

5. Beef Dishes

Best dry white wine types to try: 

• Madeira
• Fino
• Manzanilla 

The good old Madeira is well-known for adding spicy, earthy flavor to dishes. This dry white wine type is best used to make sauces and dips, but you can also use it for beef and some rich veal recipes.

Fino and Manzanilla have a nutty, savory flavor and can add a similar depth to dishes as Madeira.

6. Seafood Dishes

Best dry white wine types to try: 

• Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio)
• Vinho Verde
• Colombard
• Verdicchio
• Picpoul de Pinet

These flavorful, crisp, dry white wines, such as Pinot Grigio, add a fruity citrus and mineral flavor to recipes, making them a great addition to seafood dishes. 

Tip: A wine with slight acidity is perfect for cutting through fattier fish like salmon, tuna, trout, and herring. 

Tips For Cooking With Dry White Wine

Here are some tips to remember before cooking with dry white wines:

• Picking the right white wine for cooking: The rule of thumb is: don’t use anything that you won’t drink. A cheap, low-quality wine won’t have the flavor to contribute to your dish. Also, don’t buy a super-expensive one for cooking, as its subtle and complex notes will burn off in the heat.
• Cooking with white wine: Always cook the wine before you start to cook to burn off the alcohol, or else you’ll be left with a raw-wine taste.
• Storing your opened bottle of dry white: You can either drink the leftover wine or cork it and store it in the refrigerator (or a cool dark place.) This slows the oxidation process and preserves the flavor.
• Using non-reactive metal cookware: Remember to use non-reactive metal cookware like stainless steel for cooking with wine.

Let’s now explore how you can pair a dry white with your favorite dishes.

Food Pairing With Dry White Wine

Pair your flavor-filled dry whites with fish, meat, or salad. You can also have them with cream sauce and dips. 

Dry whites like Viognier are best served with a seafood dish.

Avoid drinking dry whites with soft cheese. Instead, keep the cheese for dry red wine or wines with high amounts of residual sugar.

What are the different styles of dry white wine?

11 Types of Dry White Wine

If you’re looking for a dry white, these are the most popular white wine styles:

Bone-Dry Wines

• Chardonnay
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Muscadet
• Albarino
• Torrontes

Semi-Dry White Wines

• Riesling
• Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris
• Pinot Blanc
• Viognier
• Grüner Veltliner
• Semillon

Let’s look at each of these in detail.

A. Bone Dry White Wines

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and a few other styles are crisp and bone dry. They’re the driest of all whites.

1. Chardonnay

This white grape is used to make two styles of white wine: unoaked Chardonnay and oaked Chardonnay.

• Unoaked Chardonnay is chalky and earthy and packs crisp acidity. 
• Oaked Chardonnay has more buttery and vanilla notes with a creamy texture.

While Chardonnay grapes are primarily grown in Burgundy (France), the USA, Australia, and Italy are also some significant Chardonnay wine producers. 

2. Sauvignon Blanc

The Sauvignon Blanc grape is the parent of the red wine grape, Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Dry Sauvignon Blanc white wines usually boast high acidity and give off notes of herbs, grass, gooseberries, and bell peppers. They’re produced in the USA, New Zealand, France, Italy, South Africa, and Chile.

3. Muscadet

Muscadet is a dry Loire Valley wine made from the Melon de Bourgogne white wine grapes. It has a light body and crisp acidity with a fruity flavor and citrus notes of lemon, lime, and green apple. 

It’s also the perfect wine to cook the beurre blanc cream sauce.

4. Albarino (Alvarinho)

Albarino varietal wine is a dry white wine with medium-high acidity and a citrus flavor. It has a slightly bitter taste of green almonds, often dominated by citrus notes. 

Albarino grapes are widely grown in Spain and Portugal, with Rías Baixas and Vinho Verde being the most popular Albarino wines.

5. Torrontes

Wine drinkers love Torrontes white wine for its fresh and distinct peach and apricot aroma, and a smooth texture on the palate. 

The La Rioja and Salta regions of northern Argentina are the hotspots of this dry wine.

B. Semi-Dry Wines

A little less dry than the bone-dry whites, semi-dry wines have a hint of sweetness.

1. Riesling

Dry Riesling is a white aromatic grape of German origin, used in both dry and sweet white wines. Dry Riesling wine has an intense floral aroma and high acidity.

From Ice Wine (Eiswein), Trockenbeerenauslese, Grosses Gewächs, and Alsace Grand Cru to Wachau Smaragd, there are Riesling wines for all wine lovers. 

2. Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris

The Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris, as known in France) is a light, crisp, citrusy white wine produced from the Pinot Grigio grape. 

In Italy, Pinot Grigio wine is widely produced in Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Trentino-Alto Adige wine regions. 

3. Pinot Blanc

Pinot Blanc (a mutation of Pinot Noir) is a key ingredient in dry white wines due to its high acidity. Often compared to Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc has a sour cherry and citrus flavor. 

This French grape is often blended with Chardonnay to produce dry sparkling wine.

4. Viognier

Viognier varietal wine is a dry, full-bodied white wine hailing from southern France. It has an aromatic tangerine, peach, and honeysuckle aroma with a creamy palate (due to oak barrel aging).

Viognier is the only permitted grape used in the French wine Condrieu.

5. Grüner Veltliner

Produced from the indigenous Gruner Veltliner grape of Austria, this dry white wine is admired for its crisp and spicy notes. The wine’s dominant flavors include lime, lemon, and grapefruit with a hint of white pepper. 

Smaragds from Wachau are well-known Gruner Veltliner wines. 

6. Semillon

Dry Semillon wines are light to medium-bodied with a unique waxiness on the palate and white flower aromas. 

The golden-skinned Semillon grape is also used as a blending partner with Sauv Blanc and Muscadelle to produce dry, oaked Sauternes wines. It adds a fruity flavor to the wine.

Let’s take a look at 10 fantastic dry white wines from across the globe.

10 Best Dry White Wines to Buy in 2024 (Including Prices, Tasting Notes)

Whether you’re cooking with them or wine tasting, here are the best dry white wine bottles to try.

1. 2004 Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($35)
2. 2015 Dario Princic Pinot Grigio - Sivi Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy ($38)
3. 2018 Domaine Hamelin Beauroy, Chablis Premier Cru, France ($20)
4. 2005 Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon, Loire, France ($45)
5. 2013 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc, Oakville, USA ($6717)
6. 2006 Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet, Burgundy, France ($4204)
7. 2017 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese Trocken, Mosel, Germany ($1,602)
8. 2002 Emmanuel Houillon - Pierre Overnoy Arbois-Pupillin Chardonnay, Jura, France ($700)
9. 2008 Domaine François Raveneau Montée de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru, France ($737)
10. 2006  Louis Jadot Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($365)

1. 2004 Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($35)

This delightful Sauvignon Blanc has a full-bodied, complex palate with a citrus flavor.

2. 2015 Dario Princic Pinot Grigio - Sivi Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy ($38)

This vintage dry wine has refreshing acidity and unique apricot, strawberry, and subtle citrus flavors.

3. 2018 Domaine Hamelin Beauroy, Chablis Premier Cru, France ($20)

Here’s a creamy wine with crisp freshness, a bold texture, the flavors of fresh fruit and lemon, and the aromas of butter.

4. 2005 Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon, Loire, France ($45)

The 2005 Moulin Touchais has typical Chenin Blanc notes of yellow fruit and white flowers.

5. 2013 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc, Oakville, USA ($6,954)

It is an intense dry white wine with pure grapefruit aromas. The palate has fresh melon and green apple notes with refreshing acidity.

6. 2006 Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet, Burgundy, France ($4,241)

This dry wine has coconut and pear aromas on the nose. The palate has crisp acidity and a citrus fruit flavor.

7. 2017 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese Trocken, Mosel, Germany ($1,583)

It is an elegant and complex white wine with a fruity nose and a balanced palate.

8. 2002 Emmanuel Houillon - Pierre Overnoy Arbois-Pupillin Chardonnay, Jura, France ($702)

This dry wine gives off white fruit and green apple aromas and showcases a refreshing finish on the palate.

9. 2008 Domaine François Raveneau Montée de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru, France ($635)

This vintage has dominant lemon and tropical fruit notes with subtle tangerine, lime, and stone hints.

10. 2006 Louis Jadot Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($468)

The 2006 Louis Jadot is a beautiful golden wine with a seductive oak barrel and fruit aromas. The palate has rich tropical fruit and citrus notes.

Still, have some questions about dry white wine?

Frequently Asked Questions About Dry White Wine

1. What Makes A Wine Dry? 

The term "dry" refers to the absence of sweetness in the wine. A dry wine contains little to no residual sugar, which is the sugar left in the wine after fermentation.

During winemaking, yeast consumes the natural sugars in the grape juice and converts them into alcohol. If fermentation continues until all the sugar is consumed, the resulting wine will be dry.

Winemakers can control the sweetness level of the wine by stopping fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol.

The perceived dryness of a wine can also be influenced by acidity, tannins, and alcohol content. 

• Wines with high acidity and tannins can give the impression of dryness, 
• Wines with low acidity and high alcohol content may seem sweeter, even if they contain little residual sugar.

2. Which White Wine Is The Driest?

The driest white wine is typically considered to be a bone-dry Riesling. 

Why?

Riesling grapes have high acidity and can produce wines with very little residual sugar, resulting in a dry wine. 

Other white wines that are typically dry include Sauv Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Albariño.

Additionally, winemakers can influence the level of dryness in their wines by controlling fermentation time, temperature and using other aging techniques.

3. Which Dry White Wines Can Be Substituted For Each Other When Cooking? 

Several dry white wines can be substituted for each other in cooking, depending on the recipe and the flavor profile you're looking to achieve. 

For example, 

• Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Albariño are all light-bodied, crisp white wines with high acidity and subtle fruit flavors. They can all be used in recipes that call for a dry white wine.
• Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc are fuller-bodied white wines with a buttery or creamy mouthfeel. They are great for recipes that call for a white wine with a bit more body and richness.
• Dry Vermouth is a fortified white wine that can also be used as a substitute for most dry white wine in cooking. It has a subtle herbal flavor and can add depth and complexity to dishes.

4. What’s The Best Way To Store Dry White Wine? 

The best way to store dry white wine is in a cool, dark, and humid place. 

• Temperature: Store your dry white wine at a temperature between 45-55°F (7-13°C). Avoid storing the wine at temperatures above 70°F (21°C) as this can cause the wine to age prematurely.
• Light: Keep your dry white wine away from direct sunlight or bright artificial light.
• Humidity: Maintain a humidity level of around 70% to keep the cork moist and prevent it from drying out. A dry cork can let air in which can spoil the wine.
• Storage position: Store your dry white wine bottles horizontally to keep the cork moist and prevent air from entering the bottle.
• Store it separately: Keep your dry white wine bottles away from strong-smelling foods, as they can taint the wine's flavor.

Now, here’s the most interestingpart: 

Some of the finest dry white wines have good aging potential and can also be great long-term investment options. Their high acidity and moderate alcohol levels give them a great aging potential of around 20 years.

Should You Invest In Dry White Wines?

Some exceptional bottles of dry white wine (like the Screaming Eagle Sauv Blanc and Grand Cru White Burgundies) are favored by serious wine collectors for their investment potential.

While white Burgundies can age for 15+ years, wines like Chenin Blanc can age for 5-10+ years — perfect for cellaring.

The finest ones also show good price appreciation. 

The price of the 2012 Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet grew from $1,649 in September 2021 to $6,036 in September 2022 — a whopping 266% increase!

But how do you invest in the finest dry white wine?

Invest in Extraordinary Dry White Wines Through Vinovest!

Vinovest is a reputable wine investment company that helps you buy, store, and sell the best investment-worthy bottles. 

They’ll also store them in climate-controlled bonded warehouses and sell them for you when the time is right.

How Does It Work?

Just follow these simple steps:

1. Sign up on the Vinovest website. 
2. Fill up a questionnaire to assess your risk appetite and investment preferences.
3. Add funds to your account.
4. Enjoy your dry white wine while you watch your portfolio grow.

What Are the Benefits of Investing in Wines Through Vinovest?

Here are some of the benefits of investing through this platform: 

Easy Buying and Selling of Wines

Vinovest’s AI-based online platform lets you buy the world’s best wine bottles easily. And if you decide to sell your wines, Vinovest will do that for you.

Here’s the best part:

Vinovest lets you sell your wines at any time you want. But the best thing to do is to sell your wines after 5-20 years when they’ve reached their peak value. 

And to make things easier for you, our advisors will work with you to maximize your returns — regardless of the market conditions. They’ll guide you on the best liquidity options and the best time to sell your wine bottles.

Provenance and Authenticity

You don’t have to worry about counterfeit bottles when investing through the platform. That’s because Vinovest authenticates your wines and traces their provenance.

Best Prices

Vinovest sources wines directly from winemakers, global wine exchanges, and wine merchants. This allows you to buy premium wines at the best possible wholesale prices.

Low Overall Costs

In addition to funding your account, you only need to pay a 2.5% annual fee (1.9% for a portfolio above $50,000). This covers buying your wines, authentication, storage, a full insurance policy, portfolio management, and selling. And because your wines are stored in bonded warehouses that don’t charge VAT and excise duty, you’ll get significant tax advantages.

Wine Ownership and Easy Delivery

You get complete ownership of the wines you buy through Vinovest. In addition to that, Vinovest will deliver the bottles to you or your buyer anytime.

Sounds interesting, right?

Head to the Vinovest website to know more, and add a bottle of oaked Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or even a fine Bordeaux to your collection easily!