White Wines

White Wines from vomFASS UK: Nine Bottles and How to Choose

There are nine white wines on this page. Three are Riesling, one is a Chardonnay aged in bourbon barrels, one is a white Bordeaux, one is a Weisser Burgunder, two are Italian whites from Zeni, and one is alcohol-free. The short answer, if you want one: reach for a Riesling with anything acidic or spiced, the Chardonnay with roast chicken and cream sauces, and the Italian whites with lighter summer food. You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol in the UK.

The wines below are grouped by grape, because on a shelf of unfamiliar labels the grape tells you more than the producer name does. Where a name carries real information, a stated Dry or a stated barrel, it is called out here.

Choosing a White Wine by Grape

Riesling: three of the nine

Riesling accounts for three bottles: the Dr. Burklin-Wolf Dry Riesling, the Van Volxem Riesling, and the Schumann, Oscar Nagler Riesling. Riesling is an aromatic white grape that holds its acidity, which is why it stands up to food that would flatten a softer white.

Riesling runs from bone dry to properly sweet, and the label is where you find out which you are holding. Of these three, only the Dr. Burklin-Wolf declares its style in its name: it is a dry Riesling. For the other two, read the product listing rather than assuming. A dry Riesling and a sweet Riesling belong at opposite ends of a meal, so the difference is worth two seconds of checking.

Chardonnay, aged in bourbon barrels

The Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Bourbon Barrel Aged Chardonnay is the only Chardonnay here, and its name states what shapes it: ageing in bourbon barrels. Barrel ageing separates the richer, rounder style of Chardonnay from the lean unoaked style, so this is the bottle for anyone who likes a white with weight to it.

Weisser Burgunder

The Oberbergener Weisser Burgunder Babgeige carries a name that puts off plenty of British shoppers, which is a shame, because the grape is not unfamiliar at all. Weisser Burgunder is the German-language name for Pinot Blanc, a white grape that is a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir. If you have enjoyed Pinot Bianco or Pinot Blanc, it is the same grape under another name.

The Italians, and the Bordeaux

Zeni supplies two of the nine. The Zeni Garganega Veneto White names both its grape and its region: Garganega, from the Veneto in north-east Italy. The Zeni Custoza White is the second, named for Custoza. Both sit at the lighter end of the page. The Cheval, Chai de bordes Bordeaux White Wine is the only white Bordeaux, a region far better known in Britain for its reds.

Matching These Whites to British Food

• Dry Riesling: anything with heat or sweetness in the sauce. Thai curry, a chilli-spiked stir fry, pork belly. The acidity cuts fat and cools spice.
• Barrel-aged Chardonnay: roast chicken, creamy pasta, smoked fish, mushroom risotto. The weight from the barrel gives it something to hold on to.
• Weisser Burgunder: quieter food. Grilled white fish, a goat's cheese salad, a plain roast.
• The Italian whites: lunch rather than dinner. Antipasti, prawns, salads.
• White Bordeaux: shellfish is the traditional home of a white from this region.

None of that is a rule. If you like a big Chardonnay with your curry, drink a big Chardonnay with your curry.

The Alcohol-Free Bottle

One wine here contains no alcohol. The Kühling Zero Winery is described on its own label as alcohol-free, and it sits with the wines rather than tucked away, because most tables have someone who is not drinking.

Buying White Wine from vomFASS UK

vomFASS pioneered the refill concept in 1994, and the model came to Britain from Germany. The name is German for "from the barrel": bring an empty vomFASS olive oil, balsamic vinegar or spirit bottle into the Stamford shop in Lincolnshire and it is refilled from the cask. That is the model vomFASS has run on for over 30 years. Wine is bought by the bottle in the ordinary way, and you must be 18 or over to buy alcohol in the United Kingdom under the Licensing Act 2003.

Frequently Asked Questions

What white wines can I buy from vomFASS UK?

Nine: three Rieslings (Dr. Burklin-Wolf Dry Riesling, Van Volxem Riesling, and Schumann, Oscar Nagler Riesling), the Robert Mondavi Private Selection Bourbon Barrel Aged Chardonnay, the Oberbergener Weisser Burgunder Babgeige, the Cheval, Chai de bordes Bordeaux White Wine, the Zeni Garganega Veneto White, the Zeni Custoza White, and the alcohol-free Kühling Zero Winery.

Which of your white wines is dry?

The Dr. Burklin-Wolf Dry Riesling is the bottle that states a dry style in its name. Riesling is made from bone dry to sweet, so for the Van Volxem Riesling and the Schumann, Oscar Nagler Riesling, check the product listing rather than assuming a style from the grape.

What is Weisser Burgunder?

Weisser Burgunder is the German-language name for the Pinot Blanc grape, a white grape that is a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir. The Oberbergener Weisser Burgunder Babgeige is the bottle made from it here.

Do you sell an alcohol-free white wine?

Yes. The Kühling Zero Winery is described on its own label as alcohol-free, and it is listed with the white wines as well as in the alcohol alternatives range at vomFASS UK.

The ninth bottle is the Zeni Custoza White, which sits with the Garganega as the lighter of the two Italians. Every wine on this page is sold by the bottle.