Southern Burgundy’s Mâconnais has long been known for being a hotspot for good value but in the last decade its winemakers have proved that this goes hand in hand with remarkable quality too. They may not be able to put ‘Grand Cru’ on the label, but some of the bottles certainly warrant it. The Greuzards have been crafting superb wines at their Greffière estate for four generations now.

In fact there is evidence the property was making wine from 1585. Their top vineyard – La Roche Vineuse – is 12 hectares with vines 30 to 50-years-old. No wonder the fruit is so deliciously concentrated and long. Slow fermentation with lees stirring results in this rich complex style. Serve lightly chilled with white meats, risotto or a creamy fish dish.

Bernard Moreau has been in charge of his small family domaine in the Mâconnais since 1982 and is now assisted by his son, Alex, as winemaker. It lies very close to a village called Chardonnay, just like the grape! For this white, they use fruit from their 60-year-old vines, planted on calcareous soils and with excellent sun exposure. This is the perfect formula for wine with depth and concentration.

Plus, 2022 whites are blessed with richness, body and ripeness, a generous year. Bernard tends his vines with the utmost care, using sustainable, eco-friendly methods. This results in a wine with a balance of creamy roundness, ripe pear, crisp minerality and finesse. Serve cellar cool with creamy sauced dishes to best enjoy its subtle flavour.

Domaine de Bellene is the craftsmanship of Nicolas Potel, who learned at an early age from his renowned father, Gérard. He went on to gain experience in Australia and California. His father's early death meant the family estate had to be sold and Nicolas was left to build from nothing. At Bellene, Nicolas is both talented winemaker using estate fruit, and "haute-couture négociant", sourcing top-quality, old-vine grapes from individual growers.

His wines are "absolutely delicious" (Neal Martin), “in the class of the very best that Burgundy can produce,” wrote Jasper Morris MW. This wine is from densely planted vines in the Hautes Côtes. Wild yeast fermentation in oak, with 'malo' to lend creaminess, it combines a roundness with minerality.

Crisp, appley and punctuated with a steely, mineral edge, Domaine de la Mandelière is a Chablis that justifies the region’s illustrious reputation. It’s the creation of Robert and Josette Nicolle, who carefully nurture their wines from bud break to bottle to achieve the most authentic expression of terroir. The Nicolle family have tended their vineyards on a ridge of limestone in the heart of the region for four generations.

The fruit is hand harvested and hand sorted in the vineyard, and that painstaking commitment to quality shines through in the character of their wines. You can expect a complex Chablis with aromas of stone fruit and apple with floral hints. Serve cool – but not cold – with fresh oysters, poached salmon or white meats.

Since 1980, Jacky Gilson has been a grower and winemaker in the tiny, forgotten Burgundy region of Saint-Bris. In fact, the appellation was only created in 2003. It lies just 10 miles west of Chablis and is the only one permitted to use Sauvignon Blanc in its wines. Jacky himself grows both Sauvignon and Aligoté in his 40 hectares of vines, specialising in tantalisingly fresh, pure, crisp whites.

Hard work in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar makes for very pure fruit whites, big on aromatics and with a core of freshness. Aged on its lees for six months, it has roundness too. Chill and enjoy as an apéritif, with garlicky snails or grilled fish. And from such an exceptional vintage, there is no rush with this wine.