Burgundy
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Burgundy wine prices may have risen following a series of small harvests in the region, but an international trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2015 shows affordable options still exist.

Marks & Spencer won the DWWA 2015 international trophy for Chardonnay priced at under £15 per bottle with its own-label Macon-Villages, Cote Maconnais from the Burgundy 2014 vintage.

It was one of several victories for M&S in this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards, but the win helps to allay concerns that Burgundy wines are in danger of becoming too expensive for a majority of wine lovers.

‘I am delighted with the win,’ said Sue Daniels, of M&S. She said it underlined the importance of retailers and merchants working closely with producers, in this case Vignerons des Grandes Vignes and winemaker George Brichon.

Some believe the Burgundy 2014 vintage could offer more opportunities like this.

Burgundy’s 2014 harvest was tipped as ‘an excellent year for white wines’, by the region’s trade body, the BIVB. It also predicted a ‘normal’ harvest in terms of quantity, even though some areas were damaged by fierce hail storms.

‘It’s hard to get consistent quality from Burgundy for a tenner or less,’ said Jasper Morris MW, DWWA regional chair for Burgundy and also a buyer for Berry Bros & Rudd.

‘But when the right vintage comes along, a savvy buyer working with a smart winemaker can find something special in decent volume from the co-operative sector, and this Mâcon proves what a winner 2014 is going to be.’

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Top Burgundy 2013 wines under £25

Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.