Like peanut butter and jelly, France and white wine were simply made for each other. From crisp, high-acid Sauvignon Blanc to age-worthy White Burgundy, France’s white wine production spans a plethora of grape varieties and styles. French wine — whether red, white, or sparkling — can also be found at basically every price point, from bottom-of-the-barrel jug wine all the way up to coveted auction house gems that garner the highest profits in the world.
Today, we’re focusing on the former — or at least skewing much more in that direction — with wines under $20. As always, we’ll reinforce that not all budget-friendly wine is created equal. In fact, most of it is made pretty poorly. When seeking out affordable bottles, we recommend sticking with those produced from responsibly-farmed fruit (organic, biodynamic, or sustainable) to start. To find this information, simply do a quick check on the producer’s (or their importer’s) website to see what’s going on.
Read on to read our ranking of 10 of the best French white wines to be found under the $20 price point. Select a few, or even better, build a case and try ‘em all.
10. Anne Pichon Sauvage Viognier 2021
ABV: 13.5%
Region: Rhône Valley, France
Price: $19.99
The Wine:
Anne Pichon and her late husband Marc Pichon moved to the southern base of Mont Ventoux during the late 1990s. Today, Anne and her sister-in-law, Véronique, farm 15 hectares of vines all organically, with a focus on producing ripe, fruit-forward wines that speak to the place from which they come.
Tasting Notes:
Classic to Viognier, this wine is all things stone fruit, canned peaches, and apricot, with hints of honeysuckle, tangerine, and white flower blossoms. The Pichons vinify this wine entirely in steel (no oak), so as to preserve the wine’s juicy flavors and natural acidity.
The Bottom Line:
Viognier-based wines aren’t for the faint of heart. They’re full-bodied, flavor-packed, and have some serious punch. If this sounds up your alley, then Anne Pichon’s expression is a great place to start.
9. Souleil Vin de Bonté Le Blanc 2020
ABV: 13%
Region: Languedoc, France
Price: $18
The Wine:
Founded by longtime friends Marianne Fabre-Lanvin and Thomas Delaude, who grew up surfing and shucking shellfish in the sunny south of France together, Souleil embodies the style of wine that the two love to drink: fresh and food-friendly, yet easy to enjoy during at-home happy hours on its own.
Tasting Notes:
Bright and refreshing, Le Blanc jumps with flavors of pineapple, tropical fruits, and orange blossom, marked by a long, saline-driven finish. Enjoy on its own or with salty shellfish, cheese boards, or Macona almonds. Fun fact: Souleil means sun in ancient French, and bonté means goodness—upon first sip, that’ll all make sense.
The Bottom Line:
Many budget-friendly whites from the south of France tend to be richer, lower in acid, and lack structure—not this wine. Expect all things saline, acid, and coastal influence here; like sunshine in a glass. Added bonus: A portion of all of Souleil’s proceeds go to ocean restoration.
8. Les Deux Moulins Sauvignon Blanc 2020
ABV: 11.5%
Region: Loire Valley, France
Price: $13.99
The Wine:
Les Deux Moulins is a sustainability-focused company that produces budget-friendly wines from the Loire Valley’s signature grapes. The white cuvée is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, while the red is 100% Pinot Noir. Fruit for this cuvée comes from gravelly soils between the subregions of Anjou and Saumur.
Tasting Notes:
Flinty and citrus-driven, this refreshing wine shows flavors of grapefruit, lemon, green apple skin, and crushed rocks. Pair with a warm goat cheese salad and relive your best bistro-inspired life.
The Bottom Line:
The Loire Valley’s most famous expressions of Sauvignon Blanc hail from Sancerre, though they’ll cost you quite a bit. For more budget-friendly expressions, look to those produced in Touraine and other more westerly areas for similar, lower-priced options.
7. Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet
ABV: 13%
Region: Languedoc, France
Price: $14
The Wine:
Picpoul de Pinet wines are known for their zippy acidity and lingering finishes, as well as their very accessible price tags. Font-Mars’ expression ticks all of our boxes, plus, it’s produced from sustainably-farmed fruit.
Tasting Notes:
Picpoul de Pinet is the appellation, but the grape is actually called Piquepoul, which loosely translates to lip stinger. Truthfully, the wine is just that—acid, acid, and more acid. Expect flavors of lemon, green apple skin, dried herbs, and crushed oyster shell.
The Bottom Line:
If you love high-acid French whites like Muscadet and Sancerre, Picpoul de Pinet is a great budget-friendly alternative. Look for the signature tall, green bottles and get the party started.
6. Leon Manbach Riesling ‘Granite’ 2021
Region: Alsace, France
Price: $14.96
The Wine:
Old vines, organic farming, and granite-based soils are the foundations of this world-class Riesling, and if you’re looking for a bottle to change your mind about the grape, this bone-dry expression is totally it.
Tasting Notes:
Contrary to the sweet stereotypes that Riesling often gets pigeonholed into, this zingy, dry expression from Leon Manbach is all things lemon-lime, grapefruit rind, crushed stones, and coarse sea salt.
The Bottom Line:
Not all Riesling is sweet, and this bone-dry bottle from Granite is a great pick to break all of your preconceived notions about the variety. Seriously, it’s like lightning in a bottle.
5. Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu Sur Lie 2021
ABV: 12%
Region: Loire Valley, France
Price: $15.99
The Wine:
Muscadet is known for its bright, refreshing, and salty flavor profiles, and Domaine du Haut Bourg’s perfectly embodies all of those things. This wine is produced from 60 to 80-year-old vines, which yield smaller amounts of high-quality, concentrated fruit.
Tasting Notes:
Think of this like tasty ocean water in the best way possible—salt, lemon, wet stones, and crushed oyster shell. Pour a glass for an instant mental escape to the craggy French coastline (and grab some freshly shucked oysters for the ride).
The Bottom Line:
Muscadet is the perfect happy hour wine—it’s affordable, it’s high acid, and it’s an all-around crowd-pleaser. You really can’t go wrong here.
4. Jean-Paul Brun Terres Dorées Chardonnay Beaujolais Blanc
ABV: 13%
Region: Beaujolais, France
Price: $13.99
The Wine:
Jean-Paul Brun is a Beaujolais legend, especially in the very small white winemaking world. Unlike those based in the more famous crus, Brung got his start in the southerly Terres Dorées, then eventually moved his way up to the bigger appellations. Today, his estate spans 45 hectares in total.
Tasting Notes:
This unique bottle of Beaujolais Blanc is juicy, medium-bodied, and laden with flavors of yellow apple, lemon curd, and hints of citrus. The wine is unoaked, which allows its fruit flavors to be the star of the show.
The Bottom Line:
Beaujolais is generally known for its red wines, though a minuscule amount of white, like this tasty bottle from Jean-Paul Brun, is made. For something tasty and unique, this bottle’s your answer.
3. Domaine du Pas St. Martin Saumur Blanc ‘Pierres Frites’
ABV: 13%
Region: Loire Valley, France
Price: $17
The Wine:
This varietal Chenin Blanc is produced at the hands of Laurent Charrier, who took the reins at his family estate back in 1994. An early adopter of organic farming, the winery received certification back in 1997, far before this style of farming was popular. His Saumur Blanc is vinified in steel to maintain the wine’s freshness. Fun fact: In 2012, the winery received an award (Eco-Trophée) from the local Parc National for their pioneering work in environmentally-friendly viticulture and vinification.
Tasting Notes:
Medium-bodied and bright, this palate-coating wine exudes flavors of pear, honeyed stone fruit, freshly sliced apple, and a touch of toast.
The Bottom Line:
In terms of quality-to-price ratio regions, the Loire Valley is probably France’s best. However, remember that the area’s three sub-regions are home to different signature white varieties: to the west, Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet), in the center, Chenin Blanc (Anjou, Saumur), and to the east, Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé).
2. Jean-Francois Quenard Chignin 2021
ABV: 11.5%
Region: Savoie, France
Price: $18
The Wine:
For Alpine-influenced wines that can go to the limits with cheese and hearty chalet-inspired food, look no further than bottles from Savoie. The high acidity in these wines promises to cut through even the most savory of foods, yet they also taste delicious on their own.
Tasting Notes:
This 100% Jacquère comes from 40-year-old vines and is vinified in steel. On the palate, the wine is all things citrus, white pepper, and crushed stones. Refreshing as hell.
The Bottom Line:
Due to the fact that they live in the shadows of their more popular neighbors, off-the-beaten-path regions are home to a ton of hidden gem producers/bottles. Savoie is no exception.
1. Famille Paquet Bourgogne Blanc 2020
ABV: 12.5%
Region: Burgundy, France
Price: $15.97
The Wine:
The fact that this wine exists for this price is simply bonkers. Most sub-$20 White Burgundy comes from big-box brands, but the modest Paquet estate is the exact opposite. Rooted in the Maconnais, the family organically farms all of their vines, which are scattered across a handful of appellations.
Tasting Notes:
Everything you want from White Burgundy, with the unbelievable price tag being the cherry on top—ripe yellow apple, lemon cream, citrus, and a touch of pillowy brioche. Simply delightful.
The Bottom Line:
Steer clear of 90% of sub-$20 White Burgundy. Bottles like this are a serious exception—and nothing short of diamonds in the rough.
