White wines are those made from so-called "white" grapes, in which the skins have been removed form the juice before fermentation. This results in a white wine, yet the hue of a white wine ranges from straw to golden yellow and everything in between. As some grapes used for white wine have a pink or copper color (such as Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris, respectively), white wines made form these varieties will tend to have a copper or slight golden or silver color.

As white wines age, these color deepens; this is the opposite of red wines, which get paler with time. Thus a white wine that was straw-colored upon release (aged solely in steel or cement tanks) will have a deep yellow color after a few years. A white wine will also have a deeper color upon release, if it was made with skin contact or aged in small, toasted oak barrels.

White wines are produced in every wine-producing country and are generally the most consumed in every country. Famous examples include wines made from varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio), while there are indigenous varieties in many countries such as Marsanne and Roussanne (France), Greco, Fiano and Arneis (Italy) and Viura (Spain).

White wines tend to have lower alcohol than reds - from 8% for German whites to 13.5% or 14% for some examples of Chardonnay- as opposed to 12% -15.5% for reds. They should be serve chilled and are best paired with seafood, pastas with cream sauces and white meats.