When you think of summery white wines, Bordeaux and Burgundy are not exactly the first candidates that come to mind. After all, Bordeaux and Burgundy are basically red wines, aren’t they? That is a common misunderstanding. Bordeaux, together with Burgundy, is just as renowned for its white wines, as are the Loire Valley and Alsace. The fact is, some of the best white wines in the world are produced in Burgundy and Bordeaux. But when we talk about French white wine, it would be fair to assume that the wines of Alsace and the Loire Valley remain among the better values.
The best of the best
Unlike Bordeaux and Burgundy, Alsace and the Loire Valley are better known for their white wines, because these two regions specialise in growing white grapes. Both regions are in northern France, where the cooler climate and the shorter growing season are better suited to white grapes. The primary grapes of Alsace are Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. The wines of the highest quality include the Rieslings, which also make up most of the grapes planted here. The Loire Valley, in turn, is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc grapes. But unlike wines from Alsace, wines from the Loire Valley are classified by style, and these include some of the best-known styles in the country.
From Pouilly-Fumé to Vouvray
The four main styles of Loire Valley wines are Pouilly-Fumé, Muscadet, Sancerre and Vouvray. The Pouilly-Fumé is a dry, full-bodied wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The Muscadet is a light, dry wine from Melon grapes. 
By contrast, the Sancerre is a balance between the full-bodied Pouilly-Fumé and the light Muscadet, made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. And the Vouvray, made from white Chenin Blanc grapes, is the most varied style and can be dry, medium-sweet or sweet.
Latest trends and best values
Of all the white wines of the Loire Valley, the best known was once the Pouilly-Fumé. But in recent years a wine called Sancerre has overtaken the Pouilly-Fumé (although both are similar in style, the Sancerre is rather more expensive). But despite the growing interest in Sancerre, Muscadet is and remains one of the best. Unlike Sancerre, Muscadet remains an affordable style that enjoyed a similarly remarkable growth in quality, but without the accompanying rise in price.
The whites of Bordeaux and Burgundy
Alongside the rise of Sancerre wines, another significant shift among French wines was the rise of white wines from the Bordeaux region. These wines are classified by the name of the château or vineyard that produced the wine. As always, the nature of the soil and the direction of the slope play the main role in producing this kind of quality. The quality levels are village wines, or wines that bear the name of the village; Premier Cru, or a special vineyard with particular characteristics; Grand Cru, a special vineyard with especially good soil and growing conditions.
Betting on Burgundy
Between the Bordeaux and Burgundy wine regions, the best vineyards are in Burgundy, whose white wines are among the most renowned in the world. Among these wines we find Chablis, the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais. The most famous of these is Chablis, whose name unfortunately became associated with a few very mediocre wines because there was no “copyright” protection. The French, however, take their Chablis wines very seriously, they use the same quality classifications as for Bordeaux wines, and a French Chablis is certainly a very different wine compared with the generic “Chablis” wines.
Choosing the right white wine
Choosing the right white wine is really just a matter of taste. In general, experts say that the quality of French white wines has improved considerably in recent years, resulting in a greater selection of good French white wines. The most important factor will therefore be the grape variety. And as with most wines, the best way to learn which variety appeals to you personally is to taste. In other words… Cheers!
Wikipedia article “Wine production in France”: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_wine