To quote the great 20th-century American poet Billy Joel, “A bottle of red, a bottle of white. It all depends upon your appetite.” There’s much hubbub about just-right pairings and the ideal wine for any given moment, but maybe it’s just as Joel says—to everything there is a season. (Edit: That last part was probably someone else.)
This is a roundabout way of saying that sometimes, one wants a white wine. But we at Wine Enthusiast are who we are—more often than not, we don’t want just any white wine, but the best wine. “Best” is a tricky descriptor, of course. How can one qualify “best”? Is it the top scoring? The best value? The most expensive? One answer can be found via The Enthusiast 100: The Best Wines of 2023. This list compromises not simply the highest-scoring or priciest wines, but those that captured our reviewers’ imaginations and stimulated their palates.
The white wines on this list represent a wine range of different white wine styles, from silky Napa Valley Chardonnay to barrel-aged Vinho Verde. There is Oregon Riesling, juicy Moscato d’Asti, old-vine Argentinian Sémillion and much more. There is tremendous variety from which to choose—it all depends on your appetite.
And when your mood shifts? The best red wines of 2023 are waiting for you.
Best Napa
Pride Mountain 2021 Chardonnay (Napa Valley)
Subtle baking spice and oak-toast aromas lead to a silky smooth palate alive with nuances of white peaches, vanilla bean, cream and poached pears. The wine is luscious but balanced, quiet on the first sip and then growing in flavor impact with each repeated taste. Best from 2026–2036. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points — Jim Gordon
Freemark Abbey 2021 Chardonnay (Napa Valley)
Tempting spicy, earthy, toasted oak aromas lead to densely layered pears, almonds, wood char and crème brûlée flavors that fill the palate and echo for minutes on the finish. The wine is full-bodied, almost thick in texture and powerful in flavor. Editor’s Choice. 93 Points — J.G.
Best Sonoma
Three Sticks 2021 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)
This full-blown, toast- and butter-scented wine boasts rich fruits, a mouthfilling texture and a lingering finish. Spicy toasted-oak aromas lead to vanilla, poached pears, toasted almonds and cream flavors that swell on the palate and linger on the finish. Editor’s Choice. 97 Points — J.G.
Best Mendocino
Ernest 2020 Edaphos Alder Springs Vineyard Petite Arvine (Mendocino County)
Petite Arvine, a white grape originating from the Swiss region of Valais, is a rarity in the US. What a discovery it is—richly hued with a deep golden yellow and an intensity of aromas and flavors to match: lemon, lime, ripe yellow apple and peach, dewy grass, chamomile, nasturtium leaf and nectar, and a subtle blanched almond nuttiness in the back-palate. Lovely now on its own, versatile enough to pair with a variety of dishes, but this is an example of a white wine that can also age with elegance and grace. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points — Stacy Briscoe
Best Central Coast
Tablas Creek 2021 Esprit Blanc de Tablas White (Adelaida District)
As the importer of so many Rhône varieties, it’s no surprise that Tablas Creek manages blends like few other domestic producers. This combination of 70% Roussanne, 17% Picpoul Blanc, 10% Grenache, 2% Bourboulenc and 1% Clairette Blanche shows clean nectarine and apricot aromas on the nose, with a light nuttiness. The palate’s chalky texture offers creamy flavors of cashew milk and apple blossoms. Editor’s Choice. 94 Points — Matt Kettmann
Best Oregon
Brooks 2019 Bois Joli Riesling (Eola-Amity Hills)
If you can’t bring yourself to love this medium-dry Riesling, you need to move along to the next grape. Its primary aromas of apricots, Meyer lemons and thyme dance nicely with traces of petrol and earthy petrichor. The lemon curd, white tea, guava and tonic-water flavors are complemented by a wee bit of talc. The Bois Joli’s acidity will impress even the most jaded palate. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points — Michael Alberty
Best German
Schnaitmann 2019 Lämmler GG Dry Riesling (Württemberg)
The light-golden color of this Riesling hints at some development, and that is exactly what sets this GG apart from its peers. The extra aging only benefits the terrific mix of intensely spiced and mineral-laced elements to come out as the acidity integrates and beams on the rich lemon meringue, white raspberry and baked apple. The succulent, yet fresh finish flows on the palate. Drink now through 2035. 97 Points — Aleks Zecevic
Best French
La Ferme du Mont 2021 Vendage White (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
Fresh aromas of white peaches, tangerine, lime zest and acacia fill the glass in this bright expression. The palate is round with flavors of sliced lemon, pink grapefruit, green pear, fresh almonds, white flowers and river rocks. Mouthwatering acidity uplifts and provides tremendous energy to this wine. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points — Anna-Christina Cabrales
Domaine Delaporte 2020 La Côte d’Amigny Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre)
This limited-production wine comes from a small parcel of old vines in Chavignol. It is ripe and dense, balancing white fruits and intense, tangy acidity. The wine is just ready to drink but will be better from 2024. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points —Roger Voss
Domaine Jean Dauvissat Père et Fils 2020 Fourchaume Premier Cru (Chablis)
Gentle aromas of lemon verbena, fresh pears and melon intertwine with baby’s breath, acacia, salty ocean breeze and stone. An abundance of white peach, lemongrass, chervil, fresh hay, broken seashell and flaky sea salt coats the palate. A delicious expression with intense minerality and dry extract that lingers on the long finish. Editor’s Choice. 94 Points — A.C.
Best Italian
Borgogno 2021 Derthona Timorasso (Colli Tortonesi)
Spiced pear mixed with candied lemon rind, wildflowers and fresh honey all swirl in concert in the glass. Each sniff brings out a new element from the wine: fruit, mineral and flower. The palate is full in body with a texture that will make you keep coming back and rue the moment the glass is finished, capped with apricot and a salty minerality. 94 Points — Jeff Porter
Emilio Vada 2022 Camp Bianc Moscato (Moscato d’Asti)
This superfresh Moscato d’Asti pops out of the glass with fresh wildflowers, lemon candy and juicy nectarine. The fleshly palate is like biting into a superripe peach sprinkled with thyme while holding flowers. Yum! Editor’s Choice. 93 Points — J.P.
Best Austrian
Prager 2021 Ried Zwerithaler Kammergut Smaragd Grüner Veltliner (Wachau)
This blockbuster Grüner is rich and expressive, yet incredibly vivacious and graceful. Aromas and flavors of orchard and stone fruit mingle at the core, framed by floral notes and a hint of white pepper. Its intense acidity cuts through the meaty profile, bringing out harmony, which makes this white a pleasure to drink now, but also makes it a great wine to put in your cellar. Drink now–2040. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points — A.Z.
Johannes Zillinger 2019 Numen Grüner Veltliner (Niederösterreich)
Rich yellow and slightly cloudy in appearance, this white features a generous core of durian, Mirabelle plum and chamomile flavors, underscored by bracing acidity and corduroy-like texture. This Grüner is multilayered and complex with elegant acidity and a cool climate profile. Drink now–2032. Editor’s Choice. 95 Points — A.Z.
Best Croatian
Saints Hills 2021 Le Chiffre Chardonnay (Istria)
Straw colored in the glass, this wine has a bouquet of nectarine, lemon zest and almond blossom. It is full in the mouth, with bold acidity and flavors of pineapple, lemon tart, vanilla and peach. A bright note of grapefruit washes over the finish. 94 Points — Mike DeSimone
Best Hungarian
Oremus 2019 Petracs Single Vineyard Dry Furmint (Tokaj)
This wine offers a bouquet of pineapple, green apple and grated ginger. The ginger note is apparent on the palate as well, along with starfruit, nectarine, lavender and orange zest flavors that culminate in a radiant finish. Editor’s Choice. 94 Points — M.D.
Best Portuguese
Best Argentinian
El Enemigo 2020 Semillon (Agrelo)
Sémillion old vines are being rescued in Argentina to make high-end wines with complexity. This is the case of this white from 50-year-old vines in Luján de Cuyo with a small percentage aged under flor. The nose shows subtle almond and acacia aromas that complement its citrus and saline notes. The medium-weight palate offers almond, grapefruit, pear and elevated acidity, finishing with light smoky notes. Editor’s Choice. 92 Points — Jesica Vargas
Best Spanish
Bodegas Godeval 2022 Godello Godello (Valdeorras)
Pale yellow to the eye, this wine has honeydew melon, apricot and smoke aromas. Vivid peach and yellow-plum flavors are joined by vanilla-bean, bergamot-flower and river rock notes. The vibrant finish is marked with a splash of lemon-lime sorbet. 92 Points — M.D.
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All products featured here are independently selected by our team, which is comprised of experienced writers and wine tasters and overseen by editorial professionals at Wine Enthusiast headquarters. All ratings and reviews are performed blind in a controlled setting and reflect the parameters of our 100-point scale. Wine Enthusiast does not accept payment to conduct any product review, though we may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this site. Prices were accurate at the time of publication.
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