The white wines of France offer unrivaled perfection. With few exceptions, every vineyard growing white grapes is so planted not because reds won’t grow well there, but because whites will flourish. France’s white wines are not an afterthought or a consolation prize. These are vinous treasures worth exploring.

“You always remember Pécharmant,” observes Benoit Borderie of Château Poulvère. “Once you've tried it, you seek it out.” This niche French wine is not quite famous, not entirely secret, but what the French call "confidential."