White wines are usually produced from green grapes varieties like Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon and many others. But it is also possible to use black grapes to make white wine. Indeed even with black grapes, when the winemaker will release the juice by crushing the grapes (pressing them), the grape juice will white. The skin contains natural colorings and tannins. It is these elements that will give red wine its color, body and aroma. If the grower does not leave the skins of red grapes in contact with the juice, they will obtain not red wine but white wine !

This is the method used by the Soutiran vineyard for its Perle Noire (Black Pearl) vintage Champagne. This champagne is white, but it is nevertheless 100% made from black grapes (pinot noir).

French wines are well-known for their diversity and their quality and white wines as much as red wines can reach the highest standards of quality.

There are many types of white wines: dry white wine, sparkling white wine, sweet white wine, etc… and all of them have their interests and their amateurs.

When Thomas Jefferson visited the Château d’Yquem which is a Premier cru Supèrieur sweet wine, classified in 1855, he wrote : "Sauterne. This is the best white wine of France and the best of it is made by Monsieur de Lur-Saluces."

He did not hesitate to buy white wines and ordered 250 bottles of the 1784 vintage for himself, and additional bottles for George Washington.