Best white wine under 20 pounds

Best white wine under £15

Picpoul de Pinet is the benchmark for white wine under £15. It is consistently fresh, mineral, and food-friendly -- one of the most reliable buys at any price point. Muscadet from the Loire is equally underrated. The best examples have a saline quality that works particularly well with fish and shellfish. Both are considerably better choices than a branded Sauvignon Blanc at the same price, where the label is doing most of the work.

Best white wine between £15 and £18

Between £15 and £18, Albarino from Galicia earns its reputation as one of the best value whites available. Acidic, stone fruit, and a slightly coastal salinity that makes it one of the most food-friendly whites you can buy. An alternative at that price would be an Austrian Gruner Veltliner -- white pepper, herbal, structured and works with almost anything. Both consistently outperform a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio at the same price point.

Best white wine between £18 and £20

At £18 to £20, go for an entry-level Chablis. Mineral, steely character. At that price point it represents genuine value.

What to avoid under £20

Under £20, avoid branded Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. At that price the label is doing most of the work. The same budget spent on a lesser-known grape or region -- Picpoul, Albarino, Gruner Veltliner, or a Chablis -- buys a significantly more interesting wine.

At a restaurant with a budget in mind

If you are in a restaurant and looking for a good white wine within budget, upload it to Pour. It reads every bottle on the list, matches it to your dish, and tells you exactly what to order. Free, no sign-up, works from your phone at the table.

At a restaurant looking for a good white within a budget? Upload the wine list and Pour will find the right bottle for what you are eating.