Whites
M&S Expressions Ribolla Gialla
Friuli, Italy 2022 (£7, Marks & Spencer)
It’s good to see the characterful, north-eastern Italian grape variety ribolla gialla getting its time in the spotlight. This great value dry white shows off its charms very well, with a mix of citrus zip, blossomy floral notes and just-ripe peach in an easy-drinking mode that makes it great for parties.
Cape Point Fairtrade Sauvignon/Semillon
Cape Town, South Africa 2022 (£8, the Co-op)
A wonderfully expressive, dry white take on the classic Bordeaux blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon from vineyards a mere cork’s throw away from the Atlantic on the southern coast of South Africa. It’s a pure hit of grapefruit, guava and herby-leafy tones that seems to be imbued with sea-spray freshness.
Tesco Finest Falanghina
Campania, Italy 2022 (£8.50, Tesco)
Another useful and versatile, food-friendly Italian white made from a distinctive local grape, this time from vineyards near Naples. This 100% falanghina is fresh and invigorating with a ripple of ripe, almost sweet yet tangy citrus coursing through the fleshy green pear and white peach.
Morrisons The Best Alvarinho
Vinho Verde, Portugal 2022 (£9.50, Morrisons)
A grape variety that rose to prominence under its Spanish name, albariño, from vineyards in Rías Baixas, Galicia, is increasingly finding favour among UK buyers a little farther south, in Portugal’s vinho verde, where it produces a similarly inviting mix of white peach, pear and seafood-matching salty-citrus.
O’Leary Walker Polish Hill Organic Riesling
South Australia, Australia 2016 (£12.99, Waitrose)
Riesling divides opinion no matter its age, but the kerosene/carraway seed aromas that the variety takes on as it gets older are very much in the Marmite category. There’s no escaping them here but, when set alongside the intense lime (juice and skin), they make for an absolutely mouthwatering partner for fish.
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Domaine Guerrin & Fils
Mâcon-Vergisson, Burgundy, France 2022 (£16.50, tanners-wines.co.uk)
As the classic wines of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or have become ever more expensive, the vineyards of the Mâcon in the south of the region have become an increasingly welcome friend to fans of classic Burgundian chardonnay. This pristine, pure, luminously incisive style is an effortlessly stylish choice for the Christmas table.
Stepp Sylvaner Eiswein
Pfalz, Germany 2018 (£15.99, nakedwines.co.uk)
Made from super-concentrated grapes that have been harvested late in the year while they are frozen on the vine, Eiswein is a rare and, in the right hands, magical sweet wine. In this case, it comes with a gorgeously silken texture and pin-sharp, crystalline tropical-fruit flavours to sip on its own or with the cheese board.
Famille Hugel Pinot Gris Grand Cru Sporen ‘Grossi Laüe’
Alsace, France 2015 (£38, thewinesociety.com)
Pinot gris is French for pinot grigio, but this extravagantly rich, spicy, just-off-dry wine is about as far from the brisk, pale supermarket iteration of the variety as it’s possible to get. It’s sumptuously rich with quince and baking spices, the perfect complement to turkey and all the trimmings.
Reds
Eglise Saint-Jacques
Bergerac, France NV (£7, Tesco)
The vineyards of Bergerac don’t quite fall under the geographic rubric of Bordeaux, but their wines, made from the same group of grape varieties, share many similarities, while generally coming in at a significant discount. That’s certainly the case with this clever bit of sourcing by Tesco, with its refreshing, curranty crunch.
Adnams Carmenère
Central Valley, Chile 2021 (£8.49, adnams.co.uk)
Made by the increasingly impressive and consistent Viña Ventisquero, this is a lovely example of carmenère, the lost Bordeaux grape variety that has become a Chilean speciality. The plumply ripe and succulent blackcurrants and blackberries here are offset with a gentle herbal lilt and soft, smooth feel.
Bodega Norton Malbec Reserve Finca Agrelo
Mendoza, Argentina 2021 (£10, Waitrose)
My pick of the 10 bottles in Waitrose’s annual £10 Fine Wines Christmas promotion, this is a typically suave, plush but balanced malbec from the ever-reliable Bodega Norton, with the ripe cherry and plum complemented by savoury tannins in a wine that is perfectly set up for Boxing Day beef.
Château Pey La Tour Reserve
Bordeaux Supérieur, France 2019 (£11.95, thewinesociety.com)
With the exception of the cooler, wetter 2021, Bordeaux has had a run of warm, sunny vintages in which quality has been consistent across the board. 2019 was particularly fine, this merlot-led red being full-flavoured and multi-layered, with just the right balance of plummy fruit and fine-grained tannins.
M&S Etna Rosso
Sicily, Italy 2020 (£12, Marks & Spencer)
The modern renaissance of winemaking on the slopes of the active volcano Mt Etna has produced some of the most exciting and distinctive red wines anywhere. Fragrant, tomato-tangy, subtly smoky, this is a brilliant introduction to the style, as well being a perfect turkey accompaniment.
Domaine Mabileau Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil
Loire, France 2022 (£15.99, or £13.99 as part of a mixed six, Majestic.co.uk)
Cabernet francs such as this silky example grown in the Loire Valley, a region still better known for its whites, work beautifully with traditional roast bird-based Christmas dinners. The refreshing, sappy crunch of blackcurrants and raspberries cuts through the weight and fat of the food in maximally refreshing style.
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Taste the Difference CVNE Gran Reserva Rioja
Spain 2016 (£15, Sainsbury’s)
Sainsbury’s has done well to secure the services of one of the best producers in Rioja (CVNE) for this incredible bargain of a classic gran reserva. From one of the best vintages in recent memory in the region, it’s a harmonious combination of deep dark fruit, soft melting tannins and leathery savouriness.
Domaine Font de Courtedune Châteauneuf du Pape
Rhône, France 2019 (£34.25, or £28.35 as part of a case of 12 bottles, hhandc.co.uk)
There is a fair bit of overpriced pap in Châteuaneuf du Pape, but here’s a wine to remind you why the vineyards of this part of the southern Rhône have such an exalted reputation. There’s a gorgeous, unforced fluency and easy concentration to its mix of lavender scents, tumbling red and black hedgerow red fruit, and spice.
Fizz
Waitrose No 1 Castillo Perelada Cava Brut
Catalonia, Spain 2021 (£11.99, Waitrose)
Supermarket cava can be a little bit hit and miss, but when it works it’s easily the best-value, traditional-method sparkling around. Made from the traditional trio of cava grapes – paralleda, xarel·lo and macabeo – this well-made example is very much a hit: lime-tangy, toasty and fresh.
Morrisons The Best Crémant de Limoux Rosé
Languedoc, France NV (£12.50, Morrisons)
In their relatively cool, elevated perch in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Limoux’s vignerons have a long tradition of making classy but good value bottle-fermented fizz. This elegant rosé, with its red berry and red apple, comes in a package as stylish and gift-worthy as its contents.
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Langham Estate Corallian Classic Cuvée Brut
Dorset, UK NV (from £29.31, thewinesociety.com; langhamwine.co.uk; leaandsandeman.co.uk)
The sheer quality of English sparkling wine has long since seen off the sceptics, but the pricing can still sometimes be a little ambitious. Not here: this wonderfully bright, lemony but yeasty-savoury-salty cuvée is easily as good as many champagnes that are double the price.
Drappier Premier Cru
Champagne, France NV (£38.99, or £31.99 as part of a mixed case of six bottles, majestic.co.uk)
In the UK at least, the house of Drappier has operated slightly under the radar when compared to some of its glamorous peers in Champagne. But few offer better quality than this at under £40: a delectably rich, creamy style with apple compote and buttery pastry all shot through with a flash of scintillating acidity.
