Ten Great Whites under €20

‘A benchmark example, very clean with citrus understones to the pure fruit and mineral bouquet. Persistent and fruity on the palate with a refreshing acidity to balance’

There is no mistaking the commitment of the Purato range—certified carbon neutral— to minimizing the environmental impact of its excellent everyday wines.

Not only are the wines themselves made from organically grown grapes, but the bottles, labels and cartons for the range are as far as possible made from recycled materials, with pure vegetable inks used in printing.

The blending of the two grapes: indigenous Catarratto with Pinot Grigio creates an enjoyable, everyday drinking wine that delivers intense aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, with a crisp, lively fruit character on the palate too. This is a perfect wine for seafood or as an appetizer—or why not get into the spirit of the Purato project and try it with some locally produced organic fare?

‘…this Sicilian white is all about freshness’
Tom Doorley, Irish Mail on Sunday, May 2020

This expressive white blend comes from the tiny Catalonian DO of Pla de Bages, and the wild herbs and woodland character of the landscape certainly seem to contribute to its delicious complexity.

It's fresh and inviting, with a zesty mix of tropical, citrus and floral scents, and was awarded gold in 2017 as the best wine of the entire Pla de Bages region in the annual Vinari awards.

A thrilling white wine from the north of Portugal, made from a single grape variety—Loureiro—to give a distinct character.

Fresh nose of ripe limes, with honeyish aromas in there too. There's a typical hint of vinho verde spritz—just a tingle— and for a light-bodied wine, there's real depth of flavour, with balanced acidity and minerality contributing to a clean, persistent finish.

You'd have to have a heart of stone not to like this delicious, vibrant Verdejo.

It has irresistible lime and peach aromas, lively freshness and supple body. It's a fantastic white wine as an appetizer, and has enough character to accompany any light meal with its fragrant, confident charm.

This is a simply terrific white wine. The exact recipe in the blend varies from year to year, because winemaker Toni Garriga chooses what's best from the fruit on his estate to give the freshness and flavour he is looking for.

Usually, though, you can expect to find Xarel·lo, Macabeo, Chardonnay and Muscat in different proportions, all organically grown in the Mas Codina vineyards. 

The result is a dry but juicy and refreshing white wine with the crisp attack of green apples and a clean, lively energy throughout. It's very hard not to like it, and the value is really impressive.

An approachable Rhône blend, fruity and plump, with a beguiling flavour profile of grapefruit, pear, summer wheat, almond and lemon zest.

It's fresh and crisp, so good as an aperitif, or with fish, poultry or salads.

Ten per cent of the blend is fermented in new oak barrels, with lees-stirring, for added richness and complexity.

‘La Vieille Ferme produces exuberant and delicious wines’
James Suckling, The Wine Spectator

‘This is a wine for those who want great quality and delicious drinking’
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

‘A pleasure to taste something you know that's good—excellent value’
Decanter

Intense, lemony Touraine with lip-smacking freshness and oodles of grapefruit, gooseberry, and nettle flavours. Clean and bright, with nice weight for this style.
Drink as an aperitif or with salads, tangy cheeses (e.g. goat's), fish, chicken, or curry.

The 2018 vintage was awarded a gold medal at the 2019 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon.

Christophe Godet and his wife Nathalie manage the day-to-day running of the vineyards and cellar.

‘…elegant, moderately pungent, with a lovely mineral streak’
Tom Doorley, Irish Mail on Sunday, May 2020

‘This Touraine Sauvignon is slightly softer than others, making it a bit easier to drink without food. It has flavours of apple, citrus and peppery spice with a lovely mineral acidity. A good alternative to pricier Sancerre.’
[2016 vintage] 88/100 James Button, Decanter, March 2017

A customer and staff favourite every year, Cyril Marès's Tradition Blanc has an enticing, fragrant nose of pear and apple blossom followed by a round, vibrant palate of white peach and almond.

The Tradition Blanc is a supple, substantial dry white that, from the 2020 vintage, bears ECOCERT organic certification as the estate looks for ways to make its operation as much a part of the natural environment as possible.

A real taste of southern sun, it's lovely as an aperitif, and has the body to make a terrific partner for a chicken or monkfish curry.

‘This has always been one of my favourite estates for inexpensive, well-made, supple red and white wine. The nose is lightly floral, the palate elegantly textured with peaches and melons, the finish satisfying. Good medium-bodied wine with a touch of warmth.’
John Wilson, Irish Times, September 2012

The Costières de Nîmes, the Rhône’s southernmost appellation, was previously called the Costières du Gard before a name change in 1989. Until 2004 it was considered part of the Languedoc, but today it is included in the Rhône region, and Mas des Bressades' top-tier whites are produced from typical varieties of the region including Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier.

Robert Parker has said of the estate’s winemaker, ‘Young Cyril Marès crafts some well-concentrated bargains both red and white and an ambitious, flamboyant, but modestly-priced Cabernet-Syrah blend.’

Costières de Nîmes was settled by veterans of Julius Caesar's campaigns in Egypt, and some modern wine bottles from the appellation bear the unlikely symbol of that time's Roman settlement—a crocodile chained to a palm tree.