Top 10 Chardonnays under £20

Following the Drinks Business Chardonnay Masters 2015 we round up some of the top examples priced under £20 that earned either a Gold medal or Master – with Australian expressions in particular attracting particular praise from our judges.

The Drinks Business Global Masters series sees wines judged purely by grape variety rather than by region. Divided only by price bracket and, for ease of judging, whether the style was oaked or unoaked, the blind tasting format allowed wines to be assessed without prejudice about their country of origin.

Wines were scored out of 100, with those gaining over 95 points being awarded the top title of Master. Those earning over 90 points were given a Gold, those over 85 points a Silver and those over 80 points a Bronze.

The wines were judged by a cherry-picked group of Masters of Wine on 2 December 2015 at Aveqia on 2 St Bride Street, London.

The following list comprises wines priced under £20 that earned either a Gold medal or Master in the competition. For a full round-up of results from the 2015 Chardonnay Masters click here.

Click through for the best-value examples of Chardonnay as judged by the 2015 Chardonnay Masters…

Nicolas Feuillatte, Brut Blanc de Blancs 2006, Champagne, France

Medal: Gold

Style: Sparkling Chardonnay

Price category: £15-20

What the judges said: “Notes of biscuit and brioche on the nose with some sweet vanilla and cream soda. Creamy, fresh and fine on the palate, reductive in style with notes of lemon fruit and chalk. Long, fine and complex finish. Lively with potential to evolve.”

Zonnebloem, Place in the Sun Chardonnay 2013, Western Cape, South Africa

Medal: Gold

Style: Unoaked Chardonnay

Price category: Under £10

What the judges said: “Stone fruit on the nose with a touch of pleasant reduction. Notes of biscuit and brioche on the palate. Long and fresh on the finish. Very good.”

Giusti, Chardonnay ‘Dei Carni’ IGT Delle 2014, Venezie, Italy

Medal: Gold

Style: Unoaked Chardonnay

Price category: £15-£20

What the judges said: “Fresh and restrained nose with a touch of toast and lemon. Intense on the palate with notes of tart apple and lemon. Clean, well-rounded and zippy.”

Sileni Estates, Sileni Estate Selection ‘The Lodge’ 2014 Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

Medal: Gold

Style: Oaked Chardonnay

Price category: £10-15

What the judges said: “Attractive notes of hazelnut, toasted oak and ripe stone fruit on the nose. Rich on the palate with notes of ripe peach and apple. Complex with a long finish.”

Vina Arboleda, Arboleda Chardonnay 2014, Valle de Aconcagua, Chile

Medal: Gold

Style: Oaked Chardonnay

Price category: £15-20

What the judges said: “Restrained notes of citrus and green apple on the nose. Refreshing acidity on the palate with a hint of vanilla. Good body and length. Elegant.”

Chateau de Santenay, Clos de la Chaise Dieu Monopole Hautes Cotes de Beaune 2013, Burgundy, France

Medal: Gold

Style: Oaked Chardonnay

Price category: £15-20

What the judges said: “Notes of lemon and butter on the nose – white peach, citrus and hints lof hazelnut. Similar characteristics on the palate; buttery with some freshness and good acidity. Lively, long and refreshing.”

Vina Undurraga, T.H Chardonnay 2012, Limari, Chile

Medal: Gold

Style: Oaked Chardonnay

Price category: £15-20

What the judges said: “Notes of pear and peach on the nose mingles with citrus and floral aromas and a hint of hazelnut. On the palate, good fruit weight with some smoky notes. Well-integrated oak with nutty and savory notes. Opens up well. Good complexity.”

Hardys, Hardys HRB Chardonnay 2013, Yarra Valley, Australia

Medal: Gold

Style: Oaked Chardonnay

Price category: £15-20

What the judges said: “Attractive nose with notes of hazelnuts, lemon and white peach. Firm on the palate with notes of ripe stone fruit with hints of tropical fruit. Touch of mineral character and hint of vanilla with a complex, integrated mid palate.”

Jacob’s Creek, Jacob’s Creek Reserve Adelaide Hills 2014, Adelaide Hills, Australia

Medal: Master

Style: Oaked Chardonnay

Price category: £10-15

What the judges said: “On the nose, notes of ripe apples, peach and lemon. On the palate, complex with well-integrated oak. Creamy texture, bright and long on the finish with lots of character. Excellent.”