The perfect wine to drink this Christmas – red, white, fizzy and fortified

This year our Christmas wine list is bigger than ever. I have picked  60 bottles – whites and reds; sparkling wines and champagnes; ports, sherries and  sweet wines – to help you to stock up your Christmas drinks cupboard. Or rather, 59 bottles and one bag-in-a-box – a very good refreshing white from Italy, made from falanghina and sold by Waitrose.

Wishing you a very merry Christmas.

How to have the perfect Christmas

The best fizz for Christmas

UNDER £20

Winemakers’ Selection Prosecco DOC Brut NV, Italy (11%, Sainsbury’s, £7)

Two years ago, faced with a volume shortage, Sainsbury’s begin to add a percentage of chardonnay and pinot bianco to the glera in its prosecco to make it go further. In my view these two grapes improve the wine. Calm, cool and crisp.

La Caves des Hautes Côtes Crémant de Bourgogne Brut NV, France (12%, M&S, £10 down from £12 from Nov 28 until Jan 1)

All four Burgundy grapes conspire to make this wine. Think lemon syllabub with bubbles and alcohol. 

Cuvée Royale Brut NV Crémant de Limoux, France (12.5%, Waitrose, £8.99 down from £11.99 until Nov 28)

Crémant is a style of sparkling wine made in France in the same way as champagne, and it is on the rise. This one contains chenin blanc, bringing appley, hedgerow notes to the fizz. 

Berry Bros & Rudd Crémant de Limoux by Antech NV, France (12%, Berry Bros & Rudd, £12.25)

From the countryside on the French side of the Pyrenees, this sparkling wine is based on chardonnay with hints of chenin blanc and mauzac. Like lemon soufflé with crisp green apples.

Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV, South Africa (12.5%, Majestic, £14.99 or £12.99 each when buying six bottles)

Graham Beck recently consolidated its portfolio of wines to focus solely on Méthode Cap Classique – here’s one of them, it’s very biscuity, and broad, with top notes of sweet red berries.

STAR BUY

Les Pionniers Champagne NV, France (12%, Co-op, £16.99) 

It’s always been good, but it is gleamingly good today. Half pinot noir, made by Regis Camus at Piper Heidiseck, SUCH a good champagne. Stellar.

Domaine Biguet Saint-Péray Mousseux Brut NV, France (12.5%, yapp.co.uk, £19.95)

If you are looking for a satisfying sparkling wine, then try this. Made from marsanne, it is redolent of pears and apricots, with a hint of almond blossom and nougat. Very stylish.

OVER £20

Hattingley  Classic Cuvée NV Hampshire, England (11.5%, Waitrose, £24 down from £30 from Nov 29 until Jan 23)

A delicious non-vintage blend of 70 per cent pinot noir and 30 per cent chardonnay, with a small fraction of the wine aged in oak to give extra body.

Augusta Devaux Champagne Brut NV, France  (12%, Majestic, £26.99 or £19.99 each when buying six bottles)

Devaux consistently comes out with some very neat and tidy champagnes. This one is a belter: warm with a toasted brioche depth.

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV, France (12.5%; Waitrose, £34.99 down from £42.99 from Nov 29 until Dec 26; The Wine Society, £43 or £29.50 each when buying six bottles until Dec 31) 

Elegant and finessed, with tiny, delicate, creamy bubbles.

Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut NV, France (12%, Co-op, £34.99 down from £44.99 until Jan 3) Bollinger is famous for the quiet majesty and power of its very handsome, pinot-driven, non-vintage blend. 

Nyetimber Rosé NV, England (12%, Waitrose, £29.99 down from £39.99 from Nov 29 until Dec 26)

With vineyards in Sussex and Hampshire, Nyetimber is one of the – if not the – flagship winery for English quality. Its rosé is unmissable on this offer.

Charles Heidsieck Rosé Millésime 2006, France (12%, The Wine Society, £75; Handford, £99; Harrods, £110)

The first pink vintage Heidsieck has released since the 1999 is confident and rich. All wild strawberries underlaid with a soft spice.

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2006 France (12%, Waitrose, Majestic, Hailsham Cellars, Oxford Wine Company, around £120)

Taittinger’s much-adored blanc de blancs champagne does not disappoint in 2006. Creamy and soigné and a huge treat.

The best red wines for Christmas

If you’re looking for a red for a traditional ­turkey Christmas dinner there are plenty of good options here, from a St Émilion, especially good with the sweet taste of roasted root vegetables, to a gruff Rhône blend from Australia (the Tesco “GSM” or grenache/syrah/mourvèdre).

Enjoy the ripe flare of a Rhône blend (Lea & Sandeman’s Le Petit Roy), a generous pinot noir from California, or a barolo from Berry Bros & Rudd (a great match for sides with Italian accents – chestnuts and parmesan with the sprouts, for example).

Taringa Monastrell 2016, Spain  (14.5%, Morrisons, £6)

Monastrell, aka mourvèdre, usually tastes smoother and less feral when grown in Spain than it does in the south of France. Rich and inky-purple, with generous, deep bramble flavours and a hint of the night about it; what an amazing wine this is for the price. 

Pleno Tempranillo Navarra 2016, Spain (13.5%, Tanners, £6.95; Haynes Hanson & Clark, £6.75 or £6 by the case)

Solid, reassuring, slightly perfumed and reminiscent of hay, soft saddles and strawberries with a frisky finish. Best decanted for 10 minutes. Serve it from a carafe and your friends will never guess how cheap it is.

Montgras Reserva Carmenère 2016 Colchagua Valley, Chile  (Waitrose, £6.74 down from £8.99 from Nov 29 to Dec 26)  A succulent splurge of a carmenère, all mulberries and Assam tea, with a dollop of spicy vanilla from the oak. I particularly like the loose, open texture. 

Morrisons The Best Côtes Catalanes 2015, France  (13.5%, Morrisons, £7.50)

This Languedoc red is made from a blend of mostly grenache and carignan grapes, with 10% syrah for added backbone. Think damsons and forest fruits, with a slight herby taste, too. 

Collin-Bourisset Fleurie 2016 Beaujolais, France (13%, Lidl, £7.99)

This fragrant, floral fleurie is one of Lidl’s Christmas parcels and has limited availability. Very attractive, and like all beaujolais best served lightly chilled.

STAR BUY

finest* GSM 2015, Australia (14.5%, Tesco, £8 or £6 each if buying six bottles in store until Dec 4)

GSM stands for grenache syrah mourvèdre, the Rhône blend that tastes bigger, richer and shaggier grown in the Antipodes. It’s a snip for £8, never mind £6. A bear hug of a wine.

Cave St-Verny Puy de Dôme Pinot Noir 2015, France (13.5%, The Wine Society, £8.25; Booths, £9.50)

Successfully captures pinot noir’s sappy, stones-and-summer-fruit flavours. Light-bodied, but benefits from the warm vintage that puts flesh on pinot’s bones.

Cantine de Falco Primitivo 2016  Puglia, Italy (13.5%, Lea & Sandeman, £8.95 or £7.95 if buying 12)

The smell of roasted plums, with brambles, violets, and the dusty scent of hot pavements, with a silky texture and a vivid freshness. Very good.

Domaine Saint Antonin Faugères les Jardins 2016, France (14%, Tanners, £9.90)

Warming Languedoc blend of grenache, carignan and syrah that is reminiscent of autumn leaves, bay, thyme and dried figs. A relaxed, country wine that is very satisfying to drink.

Domaine de la Meynarde Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône Villages 2016, France (13.5%, M&S, £10)

Grenache from a 50-year-old vineyard forms the majority of this superb Côtes du Rhône, which has an ample texture, and tastes of sweetly ripe red fruit undercut with pumice. A real winner.

Domaine Jean Royer Le Petit Roy 2015, France  (14.5%, Lea & Sandeman, £14.50 or £12.95 in a single/mixed case)

Tastes like a miniature Châteauneuf-du-Pape – big and perfumed, all confit red fruits and dried herbs. A mix of young Châteauneuf, unclassified, and Côtes du Rhône vines.

Campo Aldea Rioja Graciano 2013, Spain (14%, M&S in 295 branches, £14)An unusual rioja in that it’s made entirely from the graciano grape. This red has a russet colour and a spicy warmth that’s reminiscent of autumn leaves – in a good way.

Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico 2013 Italy  (13.5%, waitrosecellar.com, £19.99 down from £26.99 from Nov 29 until Boxing Day for a 1.5l magnum)

Big bottles are great to pour from at dinners. I love the fragrance – sandalwood and cherries – of this Chianti Classico, made from sangiovese. Heaven.

Château Sénéjac 2014, France (13%, Co-op, fewer than 1,000 stores, £14.99 down from £16.99 until Dec 12)

Senejac is in the Haut-Médoc between Margaux and Bordeaux, and is one of the best-known châteaux for value at a lower price. This is very young so either put it away for 2023 or decant it.

Domaine des Lises Crozes Hermitage 2015, France (Yapp, £19.95)

This syrah, made by Maxime Graillot, the son of Crozes Hermitage star Alain, is an intense nose-kiss of black peppercorns and blackberries. Very gently oaked. A Crozes with real joie de vivre.

Chateau Simard St Émilion Grand Cru 2010, France (13%, fromvineyardsdirect.com, £23.95)

It was warm in 2010, and that heat is captured in this deliciously opulent wine – all red berries and spice. Make sure it’s not too hot when you drink it – cool for 10 minutes in the fridge.

Lismore Estate Syrah 2015, South Africa (13%, swig.co.uk, £25)

Californian Samantha O’Keefe set up a winery in the remote ward of Greyton, an area not known for winemaking. Her pioneering spirit paid off; her syrah is magnificent, pure and lucid, with intense flavours and fine tannins.

Berry Bros & Rudd Barolo by Giovanni Rosso 2012 Piedmont, Italy (14%, Berry Bros & Rudd, £28.50)

Smells of violets, with a tinge of anise, and has nebbiolo’s wonderfully grainy character. Fragrant and refined but not lacking in oomph. Heartily recommended.

Au Bon Climat La Bauge Au-Dessus Pinot Noir 2013 Santa Maria Valley, California, USA (13.5%, Berry Bros & Rudd, £38.95)

A pinot noir with a spring in its step. It has lift and prettiness, a scent of cherry blossom and some toasty new oak from François Frères.

 The best white wines for Christmas

UNDER £10

Tesco finest* Saint Mont 2016, France (12.5%, Tesco, £6 or £4.50 each if buying six bottles in store until Dec 4)

Made in Gascony from local grapes gros manseng, petit courbu and arrufiac, it’s unoaked but has a glossy texture and tastes of white blossom and pink grapefruit. Winner.

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Côtes du Rhône white 2016, France  (12.5%, Sainsbury’s, £7)

A gentle blend of grenache blanc, viognier, roussanne, bourboulenc and clairette. Part of the wine is oaked, giving a subtle spice and the flavours are reminiscent of peaches and honeysuckle.

Morrisons The Best Gruner Veltliner 2015, Austria  (12.5%, Morrisons, £8)

The slightly smoky, flinty, white pepper and grapefruit flavour of Austria’s signature grape makes it a Badoit among white wines. This one’s made for Morrisons by Markus Huber.

When in Rome Beneventano Falanghina 2016, Italy  (12%, Waitrose, £25.99 for 2.25l, equiv to £8.67 a bottle)

And the award for most useful white of the festive season goes to… this delicious bag in box. It reminds me of orange blossom and a freshwater stream. The neroli-scented grape is falanghina.  My star buy.

Berry Bros & Rudd Reserve White by Collovray & Terroir 2016, Pays d’Oc, France  (13%, Berry Bros & Rudd, £8.75)

A blend of three grapes from the foothills of the Pyrenees. The result is refreshing but broad rather than nippy – a perfect winter white.

The Society’s Hunter Valley Semillon 2017, Australia  (11%, The Wine Society, £7.95)

Brokenwood’s young sémillon is incredibly refreshing, and this one’s all lithe lemon and lime with a hint of apricot. One for hot smoked salmon with horseradish.

Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Riesling 2016, Clare Valley, Australia(12%, Tesco, £10)

Bone-dry riesling that moves like a dart. The combination of austerity and vividity is exhilarating – lime cordial, lime juice and lilac. On strong form this year.

OVER £10

Château Bauduc Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Bordeaux, France  (12%, fromvineyardsdirect.com £10.95)

A crisp, unoaked white. Unlike the wines of Marlborough, Bordeaux sauvignon blanc has gentlemanly understatement. Think unripe nectarines.

Tesco finest* Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2016 Australia  (13.5%, Tesco, £11 or £8.25 each if buying six bottles in store until Dec 4)

Australian chardonnay is no longer fat and pineappley but lemony and fresh. This one reminds me of lemon curd on wholemeal toast. Great value for money.

Petite Arvine Valle d’Aosta La Crotta di Vegneron 2016, Italy  (13.5%, The Wine Society, £12.95)

This blossom-scented white is made from the Swiss grape petite arvine, and smells of sweet lemons and alpine flowers. Wonderful with cured ham.

Château Tour Léognan 2015 Péssac Leognan, Bordeaux, France (12.5%, Waitrose, £14.99)

This is a barrel-aged blend of both sauv blanc and semillon that tastes of baked white and pink grapefruits, with a hint of pine needles and lemon as well as wood spice. 

Domaine Moreau-Naudet Petit Chablis 2015 France   (12.5%, Lea & Sandeman, £17.50, or £15.95 each if buying 12 bottles)

Petit chablis often disappoints but this one has the two elements you want – the bony tang of damp limestone and oyster shells, with a wash of citrus. 

Château d’Epiré Savennières 2007, Loire, France  (13.5%, yapp.co.uk, £18.75)

One for aficionados of the mature dry savennières style, with its whiff of baked apples, autumn leaves, vacherin and mushrooms, and its tang of lemon curd. What a great cheese wine.

Jean-Marc Vincent Montagny 1er Cru 2014,  Burgundy, France (13%, The Wine Society, £20)

Characterised by dazzling precision and an edgy gleam. The freshness dances through the typical nuttiness of the Montagny, and I like the gentle lemon curd taste. 

The best sweet and fortified wines for Christmas

Waitrose Rich Sweet Cream Sherry NV, Spain (19.5%, Waitrose, £6.99)

Cream sherry has fallen out of fashion but here’s a glowing example of why it’s worth drinking. This tastes of roasted brazil nuts, sultanas and dried figs. Perfect for trifle, with trifle, with a bowl of nuts, with a mince pie. And look at the price! 

STAR BUY

Domaine de Lasserre Jurançon Doux 2014, France  (12%, Co-op, £6.99, fewer than 1,000 stores, £6.99 for 375ml)

An uplifting and lightish nectar-like sweet wine from the cool of the foothills of the Pyrenees. It tastes of quince and white blossom with a refreshing cut of citrus. Not too sweet or rich – think eggshell finish in place of gloss. Very, very good value.

Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d’Asti 2016, Italy (5%, Booths, £7.50 for 375ml)

A deliciously light, airy, and effervescent sweet wine that tastes of ripe peaches, and sweet, fresh grapes. Just gorgeous. Low in alcohol and a wonderful pick-me-up too. Try it with Christmas pudding – it’s refreshing.

Taste the Difference Dry Fino Sherry NV, Spain (Sainsbury’s, £7 for 50cl)

Sainsbury’s has the best own-label range of sherry of all the supermarkets. Made by Lustau, this is a feisty fino, crackling with life, that smells of salt and freshly baked sourdough crust.

Taste the Difference 12 Year Old Pedro Ximenez Sweet Sherry NV, Spain (18%, Sainsbury’s, £8 for 50cl)

An intensely sweet, thick wine, like molasses stirred with liquidised raisins. Like Christmas in a glass. Pour it over vanilla ice cream for a quick pudding.

Tesco LBV Port 2011, Portugal (Tesco, £10.50)

The year 2011 was outstanding for port, one of the best in the last century, and the quality is evident at every level, making this Late Bottled Vintage, made for Tesco by the Symington family, an excellent buy.

Waitrose Sauternes Suduiraut 2010, France (14%, Waitrose, £12.99 down from £15.99, Nov 29 to Dec 26)

The crystallised pineapple, marmalade and saffron taste of Bordeaux’s famous sweet wine still has a place on many Christmas tables. Here’s one good supermarket example.

Quinta do Noval LBV Port 2011 Douro, Portugal (19.5%; Ocado, £20.75)

Quinta do Noval is home to the tiny patch of vineyards that make Nacional, the world’s most expensive port. This was a superb year, and there’s a wonderful depth and complexity in this brooding wine. Enjoy with your feet up by the fire.

Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port 2004, Portugal (20%, Morrisons, £19)

This estate has long been a favourite for earlyish-drinking vintage port. Drinking it feels like diving into a deep pool of liquorice, prunes and mulberries. But what I really love is the rocky sense of the Douro that also comes through.

Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines Straw Wine 2016, South Africa (10%, Berry Bros & Rudd, £27.95 for 37.5cl)

Insanely good. The wine bursts into your mouth with intense flavours of roasted apricots, honey, confit lime and waxy white flowers.