The wines to buy for Christmas
As Christmas comes barrelling towards us at pace, it's time to start planning for the festive season. It's a long few weeks of parties, feasting and frivolity and lots of wine is required. From the best champagne to buy now to the perfect wine pairing for turkey, these are the bottles we're buying.
1/20The Society's Exhibition Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2019, £14.95, from The Wine Society.
The foggy cool yet sun-warmed climate of Sonoma County in California is haven for Pinot Noir to grow and this 2019 vintage from the esteemed Schug family is a wonderful example full of berry flavours. It can pair well with fish such as salmon or trout, as well as charcuterie and mushroom dishes.
2/20Brut Reserve NV, £32.95, from Coates & Seely.
English sparkling wine is going from strength to strength and one of the best producers around is Coates & Seely. Their classic Brut Reserve is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (the same as champagne), aged on lees for between two and a half and three years to give it a full body and lovely complexity.
3/20Abbotts and Delaunay Viognier 2020, £9.99, from Majestic.
This viognier from the Pays d'Oc is full of the sunny flavours of apricot and peach, with a hint of almond and ginger that makes it feel right for the festive period. It's lovely with roast chicken and would be just as good with turkey as a table wine for the main event.
4/20Chateau Batailley Pauillac Grand Cru Classé 2013, £49.99, from Selfridges.
If there's ever a time to break out the big guns and go all in with a classic Bordeaux, it has to be the Christmas period. Chateau Batailley's Pauillac is from the Left Bank, meaning it's got more Cabernet Sauvignon in it and is therefore a big, bold, tannic delight. Expect blackcurrant notes, a balanced acidity and smiles all round.
6/20Edouard Delaunay Septembre 2018/19, £16.99, from Majestic.
Given a little breathing time, this Burgundian Pinot Noir is an excellent bottle for the price. It has all the red fruit characteristics you'd expect and will only get better the longer it's aged. Buy a case, drink a couple and age the rest for next Christmas or beyond.
8/20Au Bon Climat Chardonnay 2018/19, £27.99, from Majestic.
There are some winemakers worth splashing out for and legendary Jim Clendenen – who sadly passed away in May – is one. His Californian vines in Santa Barbara are 25 years old and produce some of the USA's biggest hits. The classic chardonnay is a must-try but really any wine from Au Bon Climat is well worth a purchase.
ATELIER DEMOULIN9/20Abbotts & Delaunay Cumulo Nimbus Minervois 2017, £22.50, from The Real Wine Company.
Big, robust reds can often come with big, robust tannins that are quite punchy, but this blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan is as smooth, balanced and silky as you like. It's a hearty wine with a lot of fruit flavours so it'll stand up delightfully well to all the flavours of Christmas, without stealing the show.
12/20Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, £20, from Selfridges.
This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a very fine expression of the grape, with a burst of grapefruit, lemon and stone fruits against a blossom background. The acidity is a perfect match for Christmas dinner, able to highlight the flavours on the plate and keep your palate refreshed.
13/20The Society's Exhibition Hermitage Rouge 2012, £28, from The Wine Society.
A full-bodied red wine seems right at Christmas, not only because it pairs so well with rich foods like cheese, hearty stews and beef wellington. This 2012 syrah from a top producer in the Rhône valley is a gem from The Wine Society and any leftover bottles can age until 2028.
14/20Pfaffl Wien 2, £13.95, from Cheers Wine Merchants.
Even the most recent vintage of this Austrian blend of Pinot Noir and Zweigelt drinks like a much more mature wine, with soft tannins and lovely berries on the nose and palate. It's a smooth, wonderful wine and would work well for nearly every Christmas occasion.
15/20Tillingham SC20, £25, from Top Cuvée.
You might not expect to find apples amongst your grapes but biodynamic English winery Tillingham pressed them with this blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and the result is excellent. A fine bubble structure and apple crumble nose – plus an ABV of just 7% – make this utterly addictive.
16/20Anima Negra AN/2, £29.99, from Selfridges.
If you love Spanish wine but haven't yet tried a Mallorcan variety, AN/2 is the perfect gateway and one of the island's top wines. It is smooth, full-bodied and has lovely tannins with soft, ripe black fruit flavours and spice. It's a blend of native Callet, Manto Negro, Fogoneu and Syrah, and if you love it then you must try AN which is pure Callet and a top wine.
17/20The Society's Exhibition Saint-Aubin Blanc 2018, £18, from The Wine Society.
Members of The Wine Society should snap this Burgundian chardonnay up as 2018's warm summer made for an excellent vintage. It's ready to drink now so a good one for Christmas celebrations where you want a classic French white that will impress and match well with white meat and cheeses.
19/20Gatito Loco 2018 Organic rioja, £12.99, from Selfridges.
Rioja is a classic Christmas pairing as the big, tannic structure can stand up to nearly any dish. This organic rioja is a little different from the norm, however, and it's bright acidity and red fruit notes makes it a lively wine that cuts through the richer side of the feasting, while retaining the dark fruit, black pepper and chocolate notes you expect from tempranillo.
20/20The Chocolate Block, £24.99, from Selfridges.
This must be the most popular wine to come from South Africa. It's a blend of Syrah, Cabernet sauvignon, Grenache noir, Cinsault and Viognier so you can expect dark fruits and exotic spices with a lovely mix of violet and vanilla too. It's a crowd pleaser and is a nice compromise between a Bordeaux and a Rioja.
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