Classic Christmas wines and modern alternatives

Château Lalande d’Auvion Médoc Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux France 2015 (£10, Waitrose) There are certain wines that have assumed – or been granted by British merchants – the mantle of Christmas essentials. Bordeaux is one such staple and, if yours is one of those families for whom Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without claret, the seasonal discount (it’s usually £15.99) on Château Lalande d’Auvion make it an attractive partner for roasts-with-trimmings. The softly mature but fragrant Château Grand Barrail la Marzelle Figeac Saint Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France 2012 is more of a splurge but still good value for its quality for £23 at Sainsbury’s. If you’d prefer an alternative from a different source and in a brighter, more polished style, try Poligonos Uco Valley Malbec San Pablo Vineyard, Mendoza, Argentina 2016 (£16, Morrisons).

Marqués de Valido Gran Reserva Rioja Spain 2009 (£12.99, The Co-op) Another Christmas red, cherished for its languorous softness, is Rioja. Two tintos from the great Spanish region that suggest themselves for turkey or tofurkey are the Co-op’s Gran Reserva, and the younger, glossier Contino Rioja Reserva 2014 (£25, Marks & Spencer), while Ministry of Clouds Tempranillo/Grenache, McLaren Vale, Australia 2017 (£24, The Good Wine Shop) offers a gorgeously graceful Australian red based on Rioja’s two most important grape varieties. Fans of festive favourite Châteauneuf-du-Pape will be well served by the perfectly modulated Domaine Roger Sabon Les Olivets Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016 (£25, Laithwaites), or could save a few quid with the succulent brambliness of Aussie Rhône blend, Tesco Finest GSM, McLaren Vale 2016 (£8).

Clos des Rocs Mâcon-Loché En Près Fôret, Burgundy France 2016 (£19, Pinot and Chardo; Uncorked) When it comes to whites, the classic Christmas choice is a chardonnay from Burgundy. The region’s top source for reasonably priced bottles is the area around Mâcon, with wines such as Clos des Rocs’ brilliantly pure and poised example. Further north, Berry Bros & Rudd’s Meursault by Patrick Javillier 2017 (£39.95) is a textbook example of the Meursault village’s rich and toasty style of chardonnay. For alternative whites with the same capacity for combining food-friendly weight, shimmering fruit and palate-freshening acid, South Africa would be my port of call. Ken Forrester Roussanne, Stellenbosch 2017 (£18.50, Oddbins) is a headily luscious stone-fruited treat; while the fashionably natural Terracura Wines Smiley Chenin Blanc NV (£18.50, Vinoteca) is a blend of four vintages with superb depth.

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