White wines made by women are making waves

When you consider that white wines have been steadily increasing in sales volume while every major red is on a downward swing, we could be looking at a sea change in wine preference. Sauvignon blanc is still leading the charge, and grape sales of interesting whites like aligoté and chenin blanc are the only ones with any momentum in the market.

While visiting Lodi last month, I had the pleasure of tasting some of the best white wine I’ve had in years. Far beyond chardonnay, winemaker Christina Lopez of Acquiesce is making killer Rhone whites. She was hired to assist Acquiesce founder Susan Tipton, who was the first to plant an almost entirely white grapefield in Lodi in 2018. Tipton was determined to grow Rhône varieties despite the deep red entrenchment of growers and winemakers alike.

Usually, people think of big jammy zins, ripe cabs or field blends from vineyards with Italian names, like those you’ll find in the Ridge portfolio, when they think of Lodi. But the future of Lodi, and actually of the wine industry in general, might rest on the shoulders of winemakers pursuing interesting whites.

Tipton has become a legend for lighting the torch for white wines in Lodi. At the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, her 2020 viognier was voted Best White Wine of Show. At the 2026 California State Fair, Lopez’s 2025 grenache blanc took Best of Show White, Best of Region White and Best of California. With its huge aromatics of peach, pear, lime and mango, this is a universally appealing as the perfect little white dress.

Lopez also took Best White for her stunning 2025 Sirens, a blend of grenache gris, grenache blanc and grenache noir, at the 2026 International Women’s Wine Competition.

All the Acquiesce whites are stunners: the 2025 picpoul blanc conveys aromas of lemongrass, fresh-cut pineapple, sage, citrus and salt, while the 2025 roussanne is creamy with lilac and gardenia, and takes your palate on a wild and fast-paced ride. Usually roussanne is a bit heavy, but not in Lopez’s hands.

I was thrilled with her 2025 Acquiesce Grenache Gris, the first vintage she’d made of this gray grape that turns out to have way more skin tannins than its cousin grenache banc. The pure white and yellow peachiness of this wine is like drinking the best of summer.

Lopez makes all her wines exclusively in tank, with no wood influence whatsoever. This allows the wines to shine with a pure clear light that is unobscured by oak notes. She’s been picking earlier to preserve freshness and acidity.

Each of Acquiesce’s wines is presented in stunning fancy bottles with no foils. With the motto, “The Future of Wine Is White,” Tipton and Lopez make a great pair of white wine divas.

It’s all Greek

Another woman making waves in white is Aimee Sunseri of New Clairvaux, a Cistercian monastery with a vineyard in Tehama County, north of Chico. In addition to winning Best of Show at the 2026 Sunset Wine Competition with her 2025 New Clairvaux Vineyard Assyrtiko, a Greek varietal native to Santorini, Sunseri claimed Best White at the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Competition for her 2025 St. James Block Viognier, and Best Sparkling at the 2026 California State Fair for her 2023 Aimée California Bollicine Brut. While she also makes a plethora of great reds, her consistent prowess with exotic whites is undeniable.

Speaking of unusual, at the 2024 California State Fair, she won Best of Show for the 2023 St. James Block Moschofilero, which garnered her a coveted Golden Bear trophy. Moschofilero, a Greek variety, is not only fun to say but it’s entirely enticing, with perfumey jasmine and stonefruit, surging acidity and oodles of lime, Meyer lemon, pink grapefruit and tart nectarine. All these amazing New Clairvaux whites are $25 per bottle.

Locally, winemaker Kristen Barnhisel, who makes all the white wines for J. Lohr, impresses at every turn with her Riverstone chardonnay, Flume Crossing sauvignon blanc and Paperwhite unoaked chardonnay. Her F&G Vineyard sauvignon blanc is a personal favorite.

Blanc slate

Another white wine star is Lisa Amaroli of Benziger, whose 2024 Benziger Running Wild Chardonnay from the Paicines AVA of San Benito County, is a lightly oaked, very breezy and unencumbered approach to chardonnay. It’s light and lively on the palate, with lime and quince, delicate Asian pear and a bit of fresh-cut pineapple.

Her 2025 Paradiso de Maria sauvignon blanc walks the line between a French Sancerre and a California style, with a hint of gooseberry thrown in to remind you of New Zealand, but only just briefly. There’s a fruity quality but also one of stone, making it ideal for those who like things right down the middle.

While we’re talking about woman winemakers who are really showing their prowess in whites, Sarah Green at Neely Wines in Portola Valley just started her third harvest for this family-owned winery. Previously with FEL (a label started by Cliff Lede), she has a command of chardonnay that is worth exploring. Begin with the breezy yet succulent 2025 unoaked Leona Chardonnay, add some flesh and a bit of pastry with the 2024 Leona Estate Chardonnay, then wrap with the stunning 2024 Bee Block Chardonnay, from vines that date back to 1981. This captures the sunny yet wind-kissed climate of the Portola Valley perfectly. And for those who eschew chardonnay, Green also makes a fabulous 2025 Block Verde Grüner Veltliner from the newest planting on the Neely property, the Sausal Creek Vineyard.

Vine to Wine

Celebrate Harvest season with Vine to Wine at Santana Row on Sept. 19, beginning at 4 p.m. with a VIP Experience curated by Master Sommelier David Glancy of the San Francisco Wine School, followed by a Grand Tasting in Santana Row’s Main Plaza with more than 50 handcrafted wines, and a four-course Spanish-inspired harvest dinner, with stories and insights from Glancy and featured Santa Clara Valley winemakers. Tickets start at $155 at https://bit.ly/4zCrW21.