This past year I have particularly enjoyed exploring English and Welsh wines and it has been a delightful voyage of discovery. And so I have also included some choice wines from our fair isle in this list of Christmas wines for you to enjoy either with food, or simply when you are chilling out with your favourite film over the festive period. Merry Christmas!
Apéritifs
If sherry is your favourite pre-prandial tipple, the Don Gaspar Dry Amontillado Lustau has a pleasant nutty and dried fruit flavour, together with a hint of tanginess. It is perfect with cured meats, manchego and olives. Waitrose (£11.99)
If you’re looking for a refreshing sparkling wine to get your Christmas lunch off to a fine start, this Nyetimber Classic Cuvée MV is a treat. With flavours of honey, almond and brioche on the palate, this is a very fine and elegant sparkling wine. It is no wonder it is consistently judged top of its game. Grape Britannia (£32.99, also available as a half bottle).
Or why not try a fresh and light Greek white wine? The Moschofilero-Roditis 2020 from Marks & Spencer’s Found range brings together the floral attributes and zippy citrus flavours of the two grape varieties. The result is a dry white wine with Muscaty, honeyed tones and a minerally, lemon tang to create a well-balanced wine with a lengthy finish. Marks & Spencer (£8.50)
White wines
This Paco & Lola Albariño 2019, described by Decanter as ‘everything you want on the palate, and more’ is a fresh, lively wine with flavours of lime, lemon, peach and a touch of salinity. It is a very well-balanced wine that is a perfect match for white meat and fish dishes. Tesco, Sainsbury’s (£12- £14)
The Camel Valley Atlantic Dry 2020 is a delightful blend of Pinot Blanc and Bacchus grapes. It is a dry, medium-bodied wine with refreshing acidity and flavours of apple and peach. This is an ideal wine for a fish or seafood dish – you can almost feel the sea air and hear the waves of the Cornish coast as you drink it. Grape Britannia (£14.99)
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Jurançon Sec is a dry wine made from a blend of Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng grapes from southwest France. With flavours of apple, pear and grapefruit, it has medium acidity and a medium finish. This is a wine that will handle the myriad flavours of a festive Christmas lunch very well if you prefer white wine with your main dish. Sainsbury’s (£9)
Red wines
The complex interplay of flavours associated with a traditional Christmas turkey lunch means that a wine with lower tannins will cope better. The Winbirri Signature 2017, made from Norfolk-grown Dornfelder grapes, has blackberry and cherry flavours, together with a hint of toastiness and spice. This is a well-structured wine with medium tannins and a long, smooth finish. It will be an excellent match for your turkey and trimmings. Grape Britannia (£14.99)
A Malbec from Cahors will go well with duck or pork and Le Grand Retour 2018 is a dry wine with medium acidity and medium tannins. It has flavours of blackberry and jamminess, with a hint of chocolate and liquorice, and is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine. Majestic (£11.99, Mix Six £9.99)
For something bolder, this 1000 Stories Zinfandel 2018 from California is a very good full-bodied wine. It has intense black fruit flavours together with vanilla and caramel on the palate. It is a well-balanced wine with a lingering finish, and will cope well with roast beef or similar strong flavours. Tesco, Sainsbury’s (£15).
Dessert wines
Christmas is a time for indulgence. And what nicer indulgence than a glass of port? Taylor’s 10-year old Tawny Port has a fruity, nutty flavour to enjoy with cheese or dessert, or post-lunch while watching the Queen’s speech. Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose (£16-£22)
The Australian Campbell’s Rutherglen Muscat is another treat. This is a lusciously sweet wine made from a blend of vintages of Muscat à petit grains rouges (Rutherglen Brown Muscat). With flavours of fruitcake, dates and nuts, this is a smooth, wonderfully balanced wine. It is a perfect match for cheese or dessert. Majestic (£14.99, Mix Six £12.49)
Why not try a Welsh fortified wine? The White Castle Vineyard 1581 is a cracking way to finish your lunch. Or perhaps try it with a mince pie later in the day. Well, anytime really – it’s a delight. A soft, smooth wine with a long finish, it has rich blackberry and plum flavours on the palate. In a word, heavenly. Grape Britannia (£27.49).
Merry Christmas!
Look out for more wine suggestions from around the world in 2022.
Cheers!
