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A delightful, refreshing Chardonnay from California

A delightful, refreshing Chardonnay from California.

Dark Horse Chardonnay 2021 (California)

This is a delightful, refreshing Chardonnay from California. It is a rich, mellow wine with aromas of vanilla, peach and pear on the nose, and flavours of honey, nectarine and caramel on the palate.

The rich, buttery mouthfeel is nicely balanced by the wine’s crisp acidity, all leading to a smooth, lingering finish, and the oak ageing adds a hint of smokiness to the wine.

Enjoy by itself or with a creamy seafood or chicken dish, or a mushroom risotto. It will also pair well with a creamy curry, or a mild goat cheese.

Available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose (£9-£10)

A light and refreshing blend of Orange Muscat and Flora

Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora (Australia)

Add together 80% Orange Muscat and 20% Flora (a crossing of Gewürztraminer and Sémillon grapes) and the result is this delightful Orange Muscat & Flora blend from Brown Brothers in Australia.

With aromas of orange blossom, honey and citrus notes on the nose, and flavours of lemon, honey and apricot on the palate, this is a light, refreshing and well-balanced wine.

A well-rounded wine with a smooth mouthfeel and a clean fresh finish, this is a great match for fruity desserts or a blue cheese.

Available from Tesco (£8.50, half bottle)

A light-bodied, easy-drinking Gavi from Piemonte

Vallade Gavi DOCG 2022 (Piemonte)

Produced from Cortese grapes grown in the Piemonte region of north-west Italy, this Gavi is a well-balanced, light-bodied, easy-drinking wine.

With light floral aromas of blossom and peachy notes on the nose, and flavours of green apple, pear and a hint of almond on the palate, this is a crisp, refreshing wine with medium acidity.

You can enjoy this by itself or as a pairing with white fish, chicken or light pasta dish.

Available from Tesco (£10)

A new discovery from Italy

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Discovery, Verdeca 2022 (Puglia)

This dry white Verdeca made from grapes grown in Puglia in the heel of Italy is part of Sainsbury’s new Discovery selection. Although the grape variety is not very well-known, it is an interesting aromatic wine to explore.

With rose blossom, honey and citrus notes on the nose, and flavours of lemon and peach on the palate, this is a refreshing wine with a smooth, rich, almost buttery, mouthfeel and a lingering finish.

This is a very good value wine which is perfect as an apéritif and also pairs well with a seafood, chicken or creamy pasta dish.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£8.50)

A very appealing white wine from Campania

The Society’s Falanghina 2022 (Campania)

Falanghina is an ancient white wine grape variety from Campania in southern Italy, which typically has flavours of orange peel and citrus fruits. This Falanghina from the Wine Society is a crisp, refreshing wine with an attractive tanginess and flavours of citrus and nectarine.

A dry, medium-bodied wine with a pleasantly long finish, this can be enjoyed as an apéritif or with a seafood dish, such as garlic prawns, swordfish or a seafood salad. It will also go well with a creamy pasta dish.

Available from The Wine Society (£9.25)

An appealing blend from the Black Country

Halfpenny Green Penny Red 2022 (Staffordshire)

This very appealing red wine from Halfpenny Green Wine Estate in the heart of the Black Country in the West Midlands is a fine example of a wine produced by one of the country’s largest vineyards.

Established in 1983, Halfpenny Green benefits from well-sheltered south-facing slopes and light, sandy free-draining soil to grow a wide variety of grapes.

The Penny Red is a blend of Rondo, Regent, Triomphe d’Alsace, and Divico grape varieties. A smooth, velvety, well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a long finish, it has aromas of bramble, plum and blackcurrant, and flavours of forest fruits and cherry.

A wine to enjoy by itself, with grilled meats or vegetables, or with cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£12.99)

A great value wine from Languedoc-Roussillon

Saint-Chinian, Domaine Raynier 2022 (Southern France)

This very pleasant Saint-Chinian wine from The Wine Society offers excellent value for money. The wine is produced from grapes grown in the vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France, at the southern end of the Massif Central and just 20 miles from the coast. This enables the grapes to benefit from long, hot summers and mild winters, resulting in a smooth, rich, full-bodied wine.

A blend of Grenache and Syrah grapes, this is a dry wine with medium acidity and medium tannins. Herby aromas of the garrigue together with plum and blackberries on the nose lead to a palate of vibrant black fruits, with liquorice and a hint of spice, and a lingering finish.

A wine to enjoy by itself or with food. It’s a very good match for lamb, or a casserole.

Available from The Wine Society (£7.50)

Three interesting wines from the Balkans to get the New Year off to a cracking start!

Although wines from the Balkans are not so well-known internationally, given the diversity of terroir across the region, and with very good wines being produced from familiar international as well as less familiar indigenous grape varieties, now is a very good time to explore the region’s wines and try something new.

PinotPinot Pinot noir 2021 (North Macedonia)

Behind the gimmicky name is a smooth, very pleasant Pinot Noir. The wine has raspberry, plum and cherry aromas on the nose, and flavours of red fruits, blackcurrant and a hint of vanilla and spice on the palate.

An easy-drinking, reasonable wine offering very good value for money, it will go well with a Sunday roast, roasted vegetables or a mushroom dish, and can also be enjoyed by itself.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£7.50)

Totem Viorica Château Vartely 2022 (Moldova)

This delightfully aromatic dry white wine from Moldova is a little gem! Produced from the indigenous grape variety Viorica, it is a crisp, refreshing wine with a long finish.

With orange blossom and honey on the nose, and citrus and peach flavours on the palate, this is well-balanced wine that has lots of character.

Perfect as an aperitif or with a seafood dish.

Available from The Wine Society (£7.25)

Marks & Spencer Expressions Fetească Regală 2022 (Romania)

This fresh aromatic white wine from the new M&S Expressions range is a very good example of one of Romania’s most popular white grape varieties, Fetească Regală (Royal Maiden).

With aromas of jasmine, peach and green apple and flavours of peach, pear and melon, this is a well-balanced wine with a long finish and a slight fizz on the palate.

This can be enjoyed by itself or with grilled fish. It’s also a good match for a slightly spicy Asian dish.

Available from Marks & Spencer (£8)

Here are a few choice wines to enjoy this Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!

Delightful white wines

Lyrarakis Assyrtiko 2022 (Crete)

This Assyrtiko wine from Crete is a dry wine with a crisp, refreshing acidity. It has pronounced aromas of honey, together with apple and peach, on the nose, and flavours of apple, pear and peach on the palate.

It is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with a long finish that can be enjoyed as an apéritif and is also an excellent match for a seafood dish.

Available from Majestic (£12.99, Mix Six £10.99)

Grove Mill, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2021 (New Zealand)

This aromatic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a real treat.

Pronounced aromas of elderflower, peach, lychee and guava on the nose herald flavours of lime, nectarine and passion fruit on the palate. The layers of fruit are well supported by the bright acidity and lasting finish, and a hint of minerality adds a further level.

A delightful wine offering great value for money.

Available from Co-op (£10.50)

Chapel Down Bacchus 2022 (Kent)

This Bacchus wine from Chapel Down vineyard in Kent, one of England’s leading wine producers, is an excellent example of what this grape variety is capable of.

An aromatic wine with notes of melon and citrus on the nose, and flavours of apple, melon and grapefruit on the palate, this is a crisp, refreshing and well-balanced wine with a long finish.

Enjoy by itself or with seafood or salad. It also pairs well with Wensleydale cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£16.99)

Cracking red wines

Les Hauts de Saint Martin, Saint Chinian 2021 (France)

This Saint-Chinian wine from vineyards located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France is a smooth, rich, full-bodied wine. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre grapes, this is a dry wine with medium acidity, medium tannins and a lengthy finish.

With bramble, plum and cherry on the nose, and an array of red and black fruits, and a hint of spice on the palate, this is a very appealing wine that pairs well with a roast meat dish, or roasted vegetables.

Available from Co-op (£10)

Yalumba Y Series Tempranillo 2020/21 (South Australia)

This Tempranillo wine from South Australia adds a little Antipodean twist to this grape variety generally associated with Rioja. Produced by Yalumba winery, one of Australia’s oldest wineries, this is a deliciously smooth wine which can be enjoyed by itself, and goes really well with duck or lamb.

With aromas of cranberry, cherry and bramble on the nose, and flavours of blackberry and plum, with a hint of chocolate and spice, on the palate, this is a balanced wine with a long finish.

Available from Majestic (£10.99, Mix Six £8.49)

White Castle Regent 2021 (Wales)

This wonderfully expressive wine from White Castle Vineyard in Wales is an outstanding red wine. Made from Regent grapes, it is a well-balanced wine that’s an ideal match for the complex blend of flavours associated with a traditional Christmas lunch.

With aromas of cherry, blackberry and a touch of smokiness on the nose, and ripe fruit flavours of blackcurrant and plum on the palate, this is a wine with depth and complexity.

Available from Grape Britannia (£27.99)

Indulgent dessert wines

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pedro Ximénez (Spain)

This Pedro Ximénez (PX) from Sainsbury’s is a full-bodied, lusciously sweet wine with a long, velvety finish. With aromas of honey, raisin and toffee, reminiscent of a mince pie, on the nose, and coffee, caramel and toffee flavours on the palate, this is a perfect match for Christmas pudding or other rich dessert, and mature cheese.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£9)

Keo St John’s Commandaria (Cyprus)

This luscious Cypriot dessert wine has a history dating back to the Crusades and is an outstanding dessert wine. With aromas of dried fruit and spices, and flavours of caramel, honey and nuts, Commandaria can be enjoyed by itself, or with cheese or desserts. It is a particularly good match for a rich, creamy dessert.

Available from Aspris & Son (www.aspris.co.uk) (£11.79, 50cl.)

Merry Christmas!

Look out for more wine suggestions from around the world in 2024.

Cheers!