With not much more than a fortnight to go until the big day, it’s time to stock up on some great festive bottles I’ve found in the supermarket. If you and yours are big smoked salmon fans, Tesco has a zesty, modish Greek assyrtiko or a zingy, verdant, superior premier cru chablis, which would also pair well with a festive bird. Alternatively, Sainsbury’s Aussie riesling or Waitrose’s grand albariño are just the ticket with rich fish dishes.
As for reds, there are five fine bottles to choose from, from Morrisons’ bright, red cherry and berry beaujolais to Asda’s classic claret and stilton-loving châteauneuf du pape. For turkey and all the trimmings, why not try M&S’s tasty Napa Valley cabernet or Waitrose’s turbo-charged South African. Finally, make this the year you splurge on Winston Churchill’s favourite champagne, a gorgeous single quinta port and a fabled tokaji.
2024 Finest Greek Assyrtiko
Greece, 12.5 per cent, Tesco, £11
Tesco came late to the own-label Greek wine party. No matter, as this greeny-gold, elegant, zesty, floral, hand-harvested assyrtiko, unoaked and fermented in stainless steel, comes from the cooler northern Florina region. As a result its saline spin is a whizz with smoked salmon.
2023 Fleurie Les Grappillages
France, 13 per cent, Morrisons, £10, down from £12 with a More card
Beaujolais is an ideal Christmas bottle as its light, bright fruit makes it the easy-drinking partner with everything from glazed ham to a quick and easy cold lunch. Buy long of Laurent Delaunay’s vibrant, plummy, red cherry and berry fruit and you won’t regret it.
2023 Extra Special Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France, 14.5 per cent, Asda, £14.47, down from £19.97 until Dec 31
A cracking Christmas red at an unbelievably low-cut price makes this a festive essential. Partially aged in French oak barriques for a year, it’s a big but not burly, richly fruited red with masses of mature, leafy cinnamon and sandalwood-scented fruit. Nab it now!
2018 Château Andron Blanquet
Bordeaux, France, 14 per cent, Asda, £17.97, down to £15.62 Dec 19-31
The star turn at Asda’s winter tasting was this majestic left bank claret, originally part of the undervalued St Estèphe fifth-growth Cos Labory. Such an impressive pedigree explains why this fat, full, bayleaf-spiced 2018 with refined fruit and silky tannins is so delicious.
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2021 Disznoko Tokaji 1413 Edes Szamorodni
Hungary, 12.5 per cent, 50cl, Waitrose, £18.50, down from £22.50 Dec 3-Jan 1
Anyone closing their festive feast with a sweet glass of this sumptuous, late harvest tokaji will have a wonderful time. Made exclusively from the furmint grape, grown on volcanic soil and aged in French and Hungarian oak, it’s a luscious, golden, glazed pineapple and tropical fruit jewel.
2022 Finest Chablis 1er Cru
France, 12.5 per cent, Tesco, £24
A spot-on, superior premier cru chablis and a Tesco steal. No surprise either that it comes from the awesome, quality-first La Chablisienne co-op. Ripe yet zingy, this nutty, verdant, green bean-stashed white burgundy is tailor-made for smoked salmon.
2013 Quinta do Bomfim Port
Portugal, 20 per cent, Asda, £24.97, down from £29.66 until Dec 18, then £19.97 from Dec 19-Dec 31
Single quinta ports give you almost as much bang for your buck as true vintage ports, spending two years in barrel before long maturation in bottle, and as such are great value for money. Overflowing with dusky yet zesty black plum and cracked black pepper spiced fruit, this is a steal.
2023 Collection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
California, America, 14 per cent, Marks & Spencer, £25
Turkey came from America so it’s not surprising that the best red for turkey and all the trimmings is a Napa cabernet. Aged for almost two years in French oak barrels, this is a scrumptious, rich, curranty, cassis-scented cabernet, fleshed out with a dab of cabernet franc.
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2019 La Val Gran Anada Albariño
Spain, 12.5 per cent, Waitrose, £25, down from £30 Dec 3-Jan 1
Make this the Christmas you tuck into a top-class albariño from Rias Baixas on the Atlantic Ocean-breezy northwest corner of Spain. Complete with layer after layer of steely, saline concentration and rich stone fruit, it’s a whizz with oysters and punchy seafood dishes.
2022 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling
South Australia, 13.5 per cent, Sainsbury’s, £24, down from £27 until Dec 9 with a Nectar card
Petaluma’s class act riesling from a top spot, the Clare valley, is a marriage made in heaven with a festive seafood platter. Wonderfully aromatic, with thrilling petrol, white flowers and sparky green apple crunch. Miss this and you’ll miss out.
2021 Meerlust Rubicon
Stellenbosch, South Africa, 14 per cent, waitrosecellar.com, £34, down from £41 until Jan 1
Eight generations of the Myburgh family have lived and worked at the historic Meerlust since 1756. Bordeaux-inspired Rubicon is their finest red and aged principally in new French oak. It’s a turbo- charged cracker with black chocolate, Christmas spices and dark fruit.
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Pol Roger Brut Reserve Champagne
France, 12.5 per cent, Waitrose, £43, down from £56 until Jan 1
Winston Churchill’s favourite champagne is a wonder and made from one third each of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. Anyone splurging on its pinhead bubbles, jasmine and white flower-scented bouquet and restrained brioche palate will have a magical time.
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