When at the world’s best restaurants, ordering wine to enjoy along with your meal will make it more enjoyable. You may prefer white wine or it may be a better match for the particular dish you have ordered. In any case, knowing about the most famed types of white wines can help you make the right selection.

Chardonnay

By far, the world’s best restaurants will always have plenty of Chardonnay for your selection. It is one of the most popular white wine varieties. Made from green-skinned grapes, Chardonnay can either be oaky or crisp and clean in flavor. It all depends on how it’s made and where the grapes were grown. Chardonnay is a medium to full-bodied dry white wine which first came from the Burgundy region in France. It can have lemon and apple flavors or pineapple and papaya. As such, it is best with shellfish, halibut, or cod. Since the world’s best restaurants tend to have sommeliers on staff, you can ask them which Chardonnay from the wine list will match your meal.

Albariño

If you’d like to step outside your Chardonnay comfort zone, you can try Albariño. This refreshing and fruity wine comes from Spain and Portugal and features zippy acidity with just a hint of salinity. You’ll find it to be delightful with seafood, particularly flaky fish, lighter meats, and salads.

Pinot Grigio

This light-bodied white wine is floral and fresh. The flavors will vary depending on where the grapes were grown prior to production. Typically, you can expect it to embody notes of white peach, pear, citrus, honeysuckle, green apple, and grapefruit. In the world’s best restaurants, you can find the top quality versions of this wine as they will not carry subpar options.

Riesling

Riesling grapes come from the Rhine region of France (Alsace) and Germany. It is aromatic, allowing it to create a sweet wine that is most often used as a dessert wine. Served ice cold, it presents flavors of nectarine, apricot, pear, and crisp apple. It’s very acidic yet balanced by sweetness. Even though it is often served with dessert, you can balance out spicy dishes with this on the table. Riesling also works well with shellfish, delicate fish, duck, pork, and chicken.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc comes from green-skinned grapes that lend it a refreshing acidity. With the chemical compound of pyrazine, this makes it stand out with herbaceous flavors that will depend on the climate where it was grown. The flavors will also depend on how long the grapes matured on the vine. Sauvignon Blanc first graced wine glasses from Bordeaux, France. Now it is grown around the world with some of the most famous and popular bottles hailing from Australia and New Zealand. It will pair best with white meats, seafood, and lightly seasoned vegetarian dishes.

When you are dining at the world’s best restaurants, be sure to ask about which of these white wines will be the best match for the dishes you plan to order.