Top 5 Wines for Christmas Day 2022
One red, one white, one rosé, one sparkling wine and a bottle of after-dinner Port may be enough to see you through Christmas Day and into Boxing Day. But that’s not enough of a reason to avoid getting in the best wines of the year that’ll match the turkey and please everybody. So what are they?
Tesco’s red Piccodoro Nero D’Avola (a bargain £5.75) is a reliable favourite with its toffee and cherry flavours and a great match to any foods that come with gravy, bread sauce or spicy coatings.
And because not everyone likes red wine then a fruity rosé is required too. Tesco’s Finest Sancerre rosé (£13) has enough flavour to stand up to foods or be enjoyed on its own lightly chilled. Aromas of apple and honey are matched with fruity flavours of light cherry and strawberry with a honey edge. A great match to turkey and tinsel, and the paper hat that comes out of the cracker.
And if you can only get as far as the Co-op then why not get two great wines in one go – The Weatherman Fairtrade Sauvignon Blanc (just £5.25 and will please everybody with its creamy melon flavours) and for the end of the meal Co-op’s Ruby Port (a bargain £7.85). Or if Tesco is your supermarket of choice then get in their own-label Ruby Port with its deeper and long-lasting flavours.
And because Christmas needs a sparkling wine then why not make it a South African this year – and a fizz that you’ll actually enjoy and tastes of something other than bubbles. Graham Beck Vintner Selection Brut is food-friendly and tastes better than most champagnes and is half the price. This gently fizzy blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (the same grape varieties that go into champagne) has light and creamy aromas of melon and banana followed by sweet-sour flavours of nutty apple that expands in the mouth. A great wine. Find it at Ocado, Waitrose, Majestic and independents at around £14.
So what are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go! Get that wine.
Wineuncorked.co.uk Top Wines for Christmas Day
Piccodoro Nero D’Avola 2021
£5.75 Tesco
5*
Great value food-friendly Italian red wine for all Italian foods. Cherry and toffee flavours with a bit of black pepper and a yoghurty sourness.
Tesco Finest Sancerre Rosé 2020
£13 Tesco
4*
A very nice rosé from the Loire region in France that has enough flavour to stand up to foods or be enjoyed on its own lightly chilled. Aromas of apple and honey are matched with fruity flavours of light cherry and strawberry with a honey edge.
The Weather Man Fairtrade Sauvignon Blanc 2022
£5.75 Co-op (down from £6.75)
5*
Great value South African Sauvignon Blanc that will please all white wine lovers with its creamy melon flavours that don’t scream “gooseberry Sauvignon Blanc!!”. Fresh and fruity with a creaminess that many will enjoy. There’s a bit of lightly toasted bread flavour going on there too which is as far removed from New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as can be. A bargain.
Graham Beck Vintner’s Selection Brut NV
£14 Ocado, £14.99 Waitrose, £16.99 Majestic, Noble Green Wines £19.50
5*
A food-friendly South African sparkling wine that tastes better than most champagnes and is half the price. This gently fizzy blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir has light and creamy aromas of melon and banana followed by sweet-sour flavours of nutty apple that expands in the mouth. A great wine.
Tesco Ruby Port
£7.25 Tesco
4*
Underneath the Tesco label is a Port made by the famous Symington Family Estate. Although a Ruby style, the flavour is much deeper and long-lasting than this youngest category of Port might expect. Sweet blackberry and violet flavours with a raisin sweetness. The flavours persist even when the bottle has been open for a week. Great value at around £7.
The wineuncorked.co.uk wine rating system uses a maximum of 5 stars:
5* outstanding – the top rating given by wineuncorked.co.uk
4* very good wine
3* good wine but over priced
2* a disappointing wine
1* little to offer
0* avoid – pour down the drain
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© Paula Goddard 2022 www.wineuncorked.co.uk
