The best white Burgundies priced £20 and under

It is still possible to find good value in white Burgundy if you know where to look. Fans of cool climate chardonnay should head to the lesser known valleys and small growers, away from the famous Côte d’or slopes.

We sampled 20 affordable white Burgundies priced £20 and under. We began in the most northerly vineyards of Burgundy in Chablis where chardonnays are thrillingly minerally and racy with a sleek freshness. We hunted through Bourgogne chardonnays and Bourgogne aligotes made in the outer reaches of the Côte d’or, down to the lesser known appellations of Rully, Montagny and Mercurey in the Côte Chalonnaise – finishing in the vast region of Maconnais, home to riper more forward chardonnays in St Veran, Vire Clesse, Macon Villages and Pouilly Fuisse.

The Society’s White Burgundy 2017 Jeanmarc Darbon

Tasted alongside supermarket own label white Burgundy at a similar price, The Wine Society’s own label shone out as the clear winner. This unoaked Macon was also considered most typical in this price range with its great balance of ripe forward fruits and crisp, racy acidity.

£9.95, The Wine Society

Corney & Barrow White Burgundy 2017 Maison Auvigue

Another rich ripe Macon Villages with a hint of vanilla oak. This combines ripe fruit and a creamy textured palate with a beautiful lemony core.

£14.25, Corney & Barrow

Montagny 1Er Cru Les Loges Vieilles Vignes 2016

A rich, ripe, classic lightly oaked Montagny from the limestone hills of Côte Chalonnaise. Made by British winemaker Emma Sarjeant, our tasters loved its freshness, nutty maturity and balance.

£14.95, From Vineyards Direct

Vire Clesse Vieilles Vignes 2016 Christophe Cordier

From one of my favourite Maconnais producers in an appellation which deserves to be better known. Cordier picks late from 40 year old vines from Vire village, between Tournus and Macon. Rich tropical fruit notes, but with tight, appley fruit core.

£14.99, Majestic Wine

Bourgogne Aligote 2016 Olivier Leflaive

The other white Burgundy grape, aligote is often too harsh and austere. Olivier Leflaive’s example is sourced from grapes in Puligny Montrahet and Corpeau – and is very successful and typical in 2016 with sharp focused fruit, minerality and smoky hints from 10 months maturation mostly in oak.

£14.95, Corney & Barrow

Rully Blanc 2014 Joseph Drouhin

This lightly oaked example shows that Rully can age well in good vintages. This is deliciously nutty and herby from top Burgundian negociant Joseph Drouhin.

£15, Justerini & Brooks

Macon Lugny Les Charmes 2017 Albert Bichot

Les Charmes is the name of the 100 hectare single vineyard up on a limestone plateau in Macon near Lugny village. Our tasters enjoyed the lushly ripe peachy fruit, creamy palate and concentrated depth in this unoaked chardonnay.

£15.99, Laithwaites

Bourgogne Chardonnay Les Hauts De Milly 2016 Didier Defaix

This was the freshest, raciest, highest acid chardonnay in our tasting from some of the most northerly vineyards in the Côte d’auxerre. It also comes from the badly frosted 2016 vintage resulting in a very limey, tautly citric chardonnay with marked vibrant acidity. £17.99, Aitken Wines, Dundee; Fine Wine Co, Musselburgh; Valvona & Crolla, Edinburgh; Henderson Wines, Edinburgh

St Veran Villages 2015 Domaine Saumaize-michelin

From highly regarded small growers based in Vergisson in the Maconnais, Roger and Christine Saumaize-michelin practise biodynamic viticulture making particularly rich ripe chardonnays. This was fermented partly in tank, partly in barrel; creating a rich generous peachy fruit flavour, nutty undertones, rounded with good fruit concentration and great balance.

£18.99, Raeburn Wines; £19.95, Stone, Vine & Sun

Bourgogne Chardonnay Les Ursulines 2016 JC Boisset

A blend combining the rich rounded fruits of Côte de Beaune with slightly leaner Côte Chalonnaise fruit. Winemaker Gregory Patriat aged it in barrel, but with no lees stirring, resulting in a delightful, melony, citric chardonnay.

£15.46-£18, The Drink Shop; Cornelius Wine, Edinburgh; The Beerhive, Edinburgh; Fountainhall Wines, Aberdeen

Bourgogne Chardonnay 2015 Pierre Matrot

A very popular chardonnay made by Thierry & Pascal Matrot. Tasters enjoyed its yeasty buttery nose, citric core, rich creaminess and fresh minerality. Snap it up before it all goes.

£19.99, Laithwaites

Chablis 1Er Cru Montmains 2016 Jean-marc Brocard

This is a fabulous example of an unoaked lees-aged chardonnay with flinty core, zesty fruits and racy acidity.

£20, The Wine Society