- Lea & Sandeman Wine Merchants

Top white wine trends 2025 | If you feel like all the real excitement in the wine world is happening with whites right now... you're not wrong. We are in the middle of a full-blown white wine revolution, and so today we want to share the top white wine trends of 2025 so far. Gone are the days of choosing between just "crisp" or "buttery." The new landscape is a vibrant, thrilling place full of texture, unexpected flavours, and incredible stories. Forget the old, stuffy rules. Today's whites are all about expressing a sense of place, showcasing unique techniques, and delivering incredible complexity and value. It’s a wonderful time to be a wine drinker. So, grab a glass and let's take a relaxed stroll through the top white wine trends of 2025 that are shaping the bottles you'll be loving this year. Find the original Drinks Business article here. White wine trend 1. The Gentle Art of Lower Alcohol The modern dilemma: you want a glass (or two) of something delicious, but you don't want to write off the rest of your afternoon. Winemakers in Spain and Portugal, blessed by Atlantic breezes and varied elevations, have mastered the art of creating vibrant, elegant whites that are full of character, not just alcohol. It’s all the quality, with a little less wallop. Exhibit A: 2024 Sierra de Toloño, Rioja Blanco. At just 11.5%, Sandra Bravo's wine is pure positive energy in a bottle. It’s sleek, sophisticated, and has a fresh, almost salty tang that makes it ridiculously easy to love. Find this perky white right here. White wine trend 2. That Feeling: It's All About Texture Now Lately, the most exciting winemakers are talking less about just what a wine tastes like, and more about how it feels. The new frontier is texture, tension, and grip. Using old-school tricks like leaving the wine on its lees (the spent yeast cells), a bit of skin contact, or fermenting in different vessels like concrete eggs, they're creating wines with a captivating mouthfeel that makes you want to take another sip immediately. Exhibit A: 2021 Figure Libre Chenin Blanc, Domaine Gayda. Made in concrete eggs to keep it zesty, this is a masterclass in texture. You get the classic green apple and apricot, but it’s the integrated pastry notes and a lovely bitter tug on the finish that will have you hooked. Experience the texture here. White wine trend 3. A Little Dash of Sea Spray That little shiver of salt on a fresh oyster... now imagine it in your wine glass. Salinity is the new watchword for freshness. From Chile to New Zealand, vineyards planted near the ocean are producing wines with a distinct savoury, saline edge. It’s a taste that doesn’t just refresh, it transports you straight to the coast. Exhibit A: 2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Bruno Cormerais. This is thrillingly pure and crisp. It’s like a cool sea breeze carrying hints of fennel and tarragon. Tangy, enticing, and the absolute perfect partner for a seafood platter. Get your coastal fix here. White wine trend 4. The Thrill of the Unknown To stand out from the crowd, winemakers are becoming wine archivists, reviving indigenous grapes that were nearly forgotten. For the curious among us, this is like finding a hidden track on your favourite album. It’s a chance to taste something unique, terroir-driven, and utterly new. Exhibit A: 2023 Derthona Timorasso, La Colombera. This grape was nearly extinct in the 80s! Now, it's back and glorious. Think creamy oatmeal and citrus alongside melon, with a bright acidity that gives it incredible drive and a lip-smacking finish. Discover a reborn legend here. White wine trend 5. Chardonnay’s Effortless New Look Ah, Chardonnay. It’s been through more phases than a teenager. But its latest incarnation might be its best yet. The big, buttery styles are making way for purity, precision, and elegance. Winemakers are using cooler sites and a gentler touch with oak to craft Chardonnays that are mineral-driven and speak clearly of where they came from. Exhibit A: 2022 Mainqué Chardonnay, Bodega Chacra. From the cool climate of Patagonia, this is arguably the finest vintage yet. It has a honeyed texture that’s cut by a razor-sharp spine of acidity, with notes of white peach, camomile, and sea spray. Simply stunning. See Chardonnay's new look here. White wine trend 6. Turning Up the Volume on Aromatics That first glorious sniff of a wine—the one that fills your head with flowers, fruit, and herbs—is a moment of pure magic. Winemakers are now obsessed with making that moment as breathtaking as possible, paying meticulous attention to harvest dates to capture the grapes at their most expressive. The result? Wines that sing to you before they even touch your lips. Exhibit A: 2023 Engelgarten, Domaine Marcel Deiss. A field blend from Alsace, this wine is an explosion of aromatics. A bright highlight of lemon pith and flint gives way to a juicy palate of Mirabelle plum. It finishes salty, zesty, and incredibly long. Let your nose lead the way here. White wine trend 7. Beyond the Barrel The classic French oak barrel will always have its place, but the playground has expanded. Winemakers are experimenting with everything from Hungarian oak and concrete eggs to ancient Georgian qvevri (clay amphorae) to add complexity without letting the wood steal the show. It’s about adding character, not just a layer of vanilla. Exhibit A: 2020 Tsolokouri, Labara Winery. Fermented for 6 months in traditional qvevri, this Georgian beauty is golden and complex. Ripe pear and marzipan on the nose lead to apple and quince on the palate, all held together by a beautiful saline minerality. Explore beyond the barrel here. White wine trend 8. The Gentle Push for Organic It’s more than a buzzword; it’s a movement. The push for organic viticulture comes from a desire for wines that are purer, more health-conscious, and more connected to the earth. It’s demanding work in the vineyard, but the results are often incredibly vibrant wines that can be made with very low levels of sulphites. Exhibit A: 2022 Ronceray Anjou, Château de Plaisance. A precise and energetic Chenin Blanc. It’s bursting with pear, melon, and flower blossom notes, all underscored by a powerful crushed flint minerality. The finish is bone-dry with a wonderful textural grip. Taste the purity for yourself. White wine trend 9. Let the Side Dishes Shine Tear up the old food pairing rulebook that says "white wine with fish, red wine with meat." The most creative sommeliers are now matching wines to the side dishes, seasonings, and sauces. That rich, mineral-driven Chenin? Try it with a mushroom risotto. That aromatic, saline Muscadet? It can absolutely stand up to a herb-crusted roast chicken. The possibilities are endless. Exhibit A: 2024 Suavis Vernaccia Di San Gimignano, Mormoraia. Fresh, bright, and versatile. With nectarine, lime, and almond blossom notes, its mouthwatering acidity can cut through richness or complement delicate flavours with ease. Your new favourite food wine awaits here. White wine trend 10. And Still, The Legend of Burgundy With all this thrilling innovation, it’s comforting to know some things remain constant. At the very top of the pyramid, White Burgundy still reigns supreme. The limestone slopes of the Côte de Beaune continue to produce the world’s benchmark Chardonnays, proving that for all the exciting new paths, the original legend still captivates us. Exhibit A: 2023 Puligny-Montrachet, Domaine Berthelemot. This is textbook village Puligny, and we mean that as the highest compliment. Elegant, delicate, and precise, with white flowers and orchard fruits. It’s a reminder of why this place is, and always will be, the pinnacle. Bow down to the classic here. So go on, explore. The new world of white wine is more exciting, diverse, and welcoming than ever. We hope you have enjoyed exploring this top ten list of white wine trends! Cheers! The Lea and Sandeman Team

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