Reds under £10



Ostorosbor Egri Pinot Noir Hungary 2016 (£6.50, thewinesociety.com)

Pinot noir’s elusive forest floor earthiness and juicy red berry fruits are both in evidence in a smart Hungarian bargain that is a good-value choice for those who favour a lighter red with the turkey and trimmings.

Villa Vincini Il Gran Rosso Veneto, Italy 2017 (£6.50, Asda)

Rich, smoothly upholstered red from north-eastern Italy (valpolicella country) that matches dark plummy merlot with the black-cherry tang of the local corvina grape in a sweetly fruited style for the main event or cheese course.

Carta Roja Pura Organic Monastrell Jumilla, Spain 2016 (£7.50, Morrisons)

Old bush-vine monastrell, known elsewhere in the world as mourvèdre, thrives in the warm climate of south-eastern Spain’s Jumilla region, offering abundant tangy red and black fruit seasoned with peppery spice in a concentrated but supple style.

Tikves Winery Kratosija Tikves, Republic of Macedonia 2017 (from £7.85, wineman.co.uk; noblegrape.co.uk)

Kratosija is one of many synonyms for zinfandel, a grape variety made famous in California but with origins in the Balkans. Here it’s made in a deeply coloured, deeply black-and-red-berried and spicy style: a surprisingly sumptuous curiosity.

Aldi Dão Reserva Dão, Portugal 2015 (£7.99, Aldi)

The Dão may be somewhat overshadowed by its northern neighbour, the Douro, but its red wines can be equally arresting and great value, with, in this case, bright forest-floor fruit mingling with savoury oak and a seam of bright balancing acidity

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Clos Montalbanie Pécharmant France 2015 (£8, The Co-op)

Using the same grape varieties as neighbouring Bordeaux, Bergerac’s pécharmant appellation is an excellent source of similarly structured, appetisingly cassis-scented, roast meat-friendly red blends such as the lovely Clos Montalbanie.

Kilikanoon GSM South Australia, Australia 2017 (£8.79 until 27 Nov, then £10.99, Waitrose)

Wonderfully ripe, plump and seamless with liquorice-inflected spicy brambly fruit, this classic South Australian-by-way-of-the-southern Rhône GSM (grenache, syrah, mourvèdre) red blend is a steal on the current offer price.

Château Jouanin Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, France 2014 (£9, The Co-op)

From one of Bordeaux’s lesser-known (and hence affordable) but exciting outlying appellations, this cabernet franc-led blend is a fragrant, fresh and fluent alternative to St-Emilion with a delicious red-fruited, turkey-ready crunchiness.

STAR BUY

Adnams Malbec El Dominio, Mendoza, Argentina 2016 (£9.99, Adnams)

Made for the estimable East Anglian merchants Adnams by the star Argentinian winemaker Susana Balbo, this is a gorgeous example of modern malbec with a sensual, silky feel and utterly pure violet-scented cherry and plum fruit.

Morrisons The Best Priorat Priorat, Spain 2015 (£10, Morrisons)

The rugged red wines of the rugged Catalan region of Priorat have become much more widely available in the UK in recent years, and this good-value example is gutsy, powerful with roasted fruit and the region’s trademark mineral finish.

£10 to £20

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

STAR BUY

Lirac Les Closiers Lirac, Rhône, France 2016 (£10.50, Marks & Spencer)

Deeply flavoured with blackberry, leather and black olive, and with a powerful but polished palate, this grenache-led blend from the furthest southern reaches of the Rhône valley is more than a match for many a pricier châteauneuf du pape.

Thymiopoulos Atma Xinomavro Macedonia, Greece 2017 (£11.99, Waitrose)

Made from the great Greek red grape xinomavro by star winemaker Apostolos Thymiopoulos, this is bursting with wild personality: tangy raspberry, cherry, mountain herbs, with just the right level of food-friendly grippy tannin.

Jülg Spätburgunder Pfalz, Germany 2015 (£12.20, howardripley.com)

German pinot noir (aka spätburgunder) is getting better all the time, its top bottles nudging fine burgundian levels of quality, and this is a highly impressive, well-priced example from the Pfalz region: lithe of texture, but deep in cherry and savoury notes.

Bodega Atamisque Serbal Cabernet Franc 2017 Argentina (from £14.95, drinkmonger.com; corksofbristol.com; henningswine.co.uk; noblegreenwines.co.uk)

It may not be anything like as widely planted as malbec, but cabernet franc has adapted equally well to the high-altitude vineyards of Mendoza, with Atamisque using it for a gorgeously aromatic, fresh-framed, ripely fruited delight.

De Martino Viejas Tinajas Cinsault Itata, Chile 2016 (£14.99, virginwines.co.uk)

A combination of old cinsault vines in southern Chile’s Itata valley and the use of new-old clay vessels (tinajas) rather than oak, leads to this beautifully idiosyncratic red with its sappy red fruit, Campari herbiness and lipsmacking drinkability.

Monte Santoccio Valpolicella Superiore Veneto, Italy 2016 (£17.95, swig.co.uk)

Nicola Ferrari’s ethereal valpolicella reds are a million miles from the cheap trattoria stereotype, his Superiore a lithe and lacy mix of tangy cherry and berry; his Ripasso 2016 (£28, swig.co.uk), retaining the elegance but with added depth and resonance.

£20 and over

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

STAR BUY

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa 2017 (from £25, laywheeler.com; thewinesociety.com; nywines.co.uk)

The cool, ocean-influenced climate of South Africa’s Hemel-en-Aarde valley is proving to be one of the best places in the world to make pinot noir, with Newton Johnson’s latest vintage a ripe, graceful, fluent centrepiece for any Christmas feast.

Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy 2014 (from £26, thewinesociety.com; jeroboams.co.uk; bottleapostle.com; woodwinters.com)

Made by the consistently excellent local co-operative, this is first-rate barbaresco at a humane (for this costly Italian region) price, offering nebbiolo trademark paradoxical mix of floaty rose-floral aromatics, red fruit and muscular structure.

Scions of Sinai Swanesang Syrah Stellenbosch, South Africa 2017 (£33.50, bbr.com)

From an exciting new producer with a penchant for sourcing grapes from neglected old Cape vineyards (the block for this cuvée in fact no longer exists), this magnificent syrah offers a swirl of black pepper, blackberry, liquorice and sage in a fine, sinewy package.

Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rhône, France 2015 (£39, yapp.co.uk)

A grenache-led blend of dark fruit-depth and purity, evocative garrigue-scented complexity and luxurious, fine-grained texture, this is a top-flight châteauneuf-du-pape from a producer (Claire Michel) working at the height of her powers in a great vintage.

Whites under £10

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Klein Street Grenache Blanc Western Cape, South Africa 2018 (£6.50, Morrisons)

Grenache blanc is a mutation of the more famous grenache noir, but it’s increasingly finding a place in fuller-bodied whites in southern climes, with this well-made, breezy peachy-floral Cape example offering enough weight for any festive white-meat roasts.

Paul Mas Réserve Languedoc Blanc Languedoc, France 2017 (£6.99 from 28 Nov-1 Jan, Waitrose)

Cut from £9.39, this stylish, exotic blend of grenache blanc, marsanne and vermentino from the prolific and talented southern French winemaker Jean-Claude Mas offers a moreish mix of stone-fruit fleshiness with a kiss of savoury oak and a lingering but fresh finish.

STAR BUY

Domaine de Lasserre Jurançon, France 2015 (£7, 37.5cl, The Co-op)

From Jurançon in the foothills of the Pyrenees in south-west France, this great-value sweet wine blend of local petit manseng and gros manseng pits tensile acidity and tangy grapefruit with richer crystallised tropical fruit for a fine stilton partner.

Ken Forrester Workhorse Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch, South Africa 2017 (£8, Marks & Spencer)

One of the original stars of modern South African wine, Ken Forrester is all-but-synonymous with chenin blanc, and this dry stalwart of the M&S range shows off his mastery of the variety: a burst of ripe green apple, a drizzle of honey, crystal-clear acidity.

Taste the Difference Côtes du Rhône White France 2017 (£8, Sainsbury’s)

The Rhône’s whites may not have the same reputation as its reds, but they can be utterly charming. This is very nicely done: soft-focus orchard fruit, acacia flowers and enough weight to carry off the variety of flavours and textures of Christmas dinner.

Cantina del Vermentino Nord Est Vermentino, Sardinia, Italy 2016 (£9.99, or £8.99 as part of a mixed case of six, majestic.co.uk)

For any seafood courses you may be contemplating over Christmas, or as a perky aperitif, this zingy Sardinian dry white has all the tangy lemon-and-lime crispness, subtle nutty intrigue and island-breeze freshness the vermentino variety was made for.

Tesco Finest Falanghina Campania, Italy 2017 (£9, Tesco)

One of a trio of fine Campanian wines made by Feudi San Gregorio for Tesco’s Finest label (look out, too, for the white Greco and red Aglianico), this falanghina offers a soft, fluent mix of white flowers, orange and lemon zestiness, and minerals.

Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Loureiro, Vinho Verde, Portugal 2017 (from £9.25, thewinesociety.com; theatreofwine.com; bottleapostle.com)

The purity and citrus zing of this superb modern vinho verde from master craftsman Anselmo Mendes makes it an appealingly cleansing fish and seafood-course partner, its subtle bay leaf and fennel greenness and floral delicacy adding an extra dimension.

£10 to £20

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Bodegas Vinessens Tragolargo Blanco Alicante, Spain 2016 (£12.55, lescaves.co.uk)

Extended contact between the grapes and the skins during winemaking has brought a moreish pithy-bitter bite and texture here, one that rubs up well with rich white meat dishes but contrasts nicely with the high-summer floral charm and muscat grapey fruitiness.

Katharina Wechsler Riesling Trocken Rheinhessen, Germany 2016 (£12.99, robersonwine.com)

This scintillating dry riesling from rising star German grower Katharina Wechsler has plenty of ripe and juicy tropical fruit, but it’s the spine of cut-glass acidity that makes it such a thrill to drink both on its own and as a partner for mildly spicy appetisers.

Florent Rouve Viré-Clessé Burgundy, France 2016 (£14.50 Marks & Spencer)

If you’re looking for value in white burgundy, then it’s worth heading south to Mâcon, home of this beautifully poised, chardonnay, where the subtle oak sheen complements the bright fruit, white flowers and stream of pure acidity.

Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne Aligoté 2016 (£14.50, thewinesociety.com)

Burgundy’s second white grape, aligoté, was once relegated to topping up cassis in a kir, but lately growers have treated it with more respect, with the pristine, lemon and green apple-crispness and nerviness here offering a seafood-friendly alternative to chablis.

STAR BUY

Faraone Le Vigne Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Abruzzo, Italy (£15.75, bbr.com)

Utterly distinctive central Italian dry white that takes a variety – trebbiano – not always known for its demonstrative personality and transforms it into a multilayered, textured mouthful of blossom, dill, green olive, preserved lemon and orchard fruit.

Artisan Tasmanian Chardonnay, Tasmania, Australia 2016 (£16.99, Aldi)

One of a handful of fine Tasmanian wines recently added to Aldi’s books, this richly involving chardonnay layers nutty-wheatiness with bright ripe fruit and the crystal-clear, plate-perking acidity that is the cool-climate island’s trump card and trademark.

Domaine Serge Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Loire, France 2017 (from £17.80, justerinis.com; hhandc.co.uk)

There’s an ocean of ordinary sauvignon blanc out there, but here’s a reminder of what a joyous grape variety it can be. From one of its original homes in the Loire, this is a wave of mouthfilling, verdant succulence: elderflower, blackcurrant, citrus and subtle smokiness.

Domaine Vincent Carême Organic Vouvray Sec Loire, France 2017 (from £17.99, Waitrose; bbr.com)

Another outstanding Loire white, this time from the region’s other great white grape variety, chenin blanc, Vincent Carême’s dry vouvray is filled with golden apples and pears and honey and made irresistible by the enlivening swish of mineral acidity.

£20 and over

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Clos Henri Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand 2016 (from £22, josephbarneswines.com; buonvino.co.uk; hedonism.co.uk; lescaves.co.uk)

The New Zealand project of Sancerre’s Bourgeois family goes from strength to strength, and is now making one of my favourite Marlborough sauvignon blancs, with delectably pure passion fruit, racy citrus and a streak of stony minerals.

STAR BUY

Oreg Kiraly Dulo Dry Furmint Barta Mad, Tokaji, Hungary 2015 (£23.50, corneyandbarrow.com)

The Tokaji region is best known for its golden dessert wines, but its dry white wines made from furmint are modern classics: this is superbly rich yet energetic, a big bright burst of exotic fruit, savoury oak and a satisfying twang of nervy acidity.

Rolly Gassmann Vendanges Tardives Alsace 2005 (£25.50, 37.5cl, bbr.com)

The vendanges tardives or late harvest brings an extra level of concentration to the riesling grapes used for this shimmering jewelled joy of a white, the steel-blade flash of acidity cutting through the slinky fruit, while age has brought all manner of spicy-savoury intrigue.

Liquid Farm White Hill Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills, California 2015 (from £38, armitwine.co.uk; stannarywine.com; hedonism.co.uk; bottleapostle.com; pinotandchardo.co.uk; thegoodwineshop.co.uk)

From one of the leading lights of California’s new, cooler (in all senses) winemaking scene, this is a taut, beautifully judged chardonnay with pretty notes of white flowers, subtle toastiness and a luminous, compulsively drinkable core of lemony fruit and minerals.

Fortified wines

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Mil Pesetas Manzanilla Spain NV (£6.50, The Co-op)

From bloody mary seasoning to soup partner and mouthwatering aperitif, this new bone-dry sherry in the Co-op range is a festive all-rounder. Made by the excellent Barbadillo, it is so fresh and lively with salted nuts, brisk apple and Twiglet savouriness.

Muscat of Samos Vin Doux Greece 2017 (£8.99, 37.5cl, Waitrose)

Fortified to 15% alcohol, this classic sweet muscat from the island of Samos has a delicate aromatic allure that makes it ideal for fruit desserts, ice cream or cheese. A golden syrupy mix of apricot, blossomy honey and sweet lemony-citrus.

STAR BUY

Maynard’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port Douro, Portugal (£9.99, Aldi)

A blend of ports that have been matured in oak barrels for an average of 10 years, this mellow tawny port has a fruit-cakey richness and notes of caramel, dates and nuts making a like-for-like match with Christmas pudding, or a sweet contrast for tangy mature cheeses.

Tesco Finest Vintage Port Douro, Portugal 1997 (£20, Tesco)

The Symington family has been providing Tesco with its own-label ports for decades now, and this is typically excellent value for a properly mature vintage port with soft berries, leather and spice, and a texture as comfortably rumpled as a favourite armchair.

Fizz

Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Codorníu 1872 Vintage Cava Spain 2016 (£7.99, down from £11.99 until 1 Jan 2019, Waitrose)

One of cava’s big two (along with Freixenet), Codorníu has been producing sparkling wine since 1872 (hence the name), and this vintage blend of the traditional trio of local varieties offers classic cava sour apple tang and toastiness, and abundant creamy fizz.

Romeo & Juliet Prosecco Treviso Italy NV (£11.99, or £8.99 as part of a mixed case of six, majestic.co.uk)

The soft sherbetty mousse, sweet easy fruitiness, and relatively light alcohol make this one to open at a party or while unwrapping the presents, and it’s the best base for a mimosa and other fruit-and-fizz cocktails.

La Cave des Hautes Côtes Crémant de Bourgogne Burgundy, France NV (£12, Marks & Spencer)

If Burgundy’s still wines weren’t so wonderful, you have to wonder if the region wouldn’t be more famous for its sparklers. Made in the same way as champagne, they provide excellent value, with, in this case, stylish bubbles, apricots and patisserie cream.

Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills, Australia 2017 (from £14.95, oxfordwine.co.uk; tanners-wines.co.uk; Waitrose)

From the Adelaide Hills, a South Australian cooler-climate hot spot, Bird in Hand’s very pretty pink sparkler is light and breezy in feel with lively fine bubbles and curranty, perky acidity, but doesn’t stint on soft summery flavours of red berries and cream.

STAR BUY

Vilmart & Cie Grande Réserve Premier Cru Champagne, France NV (from £31, thewinesociety.com; virginwines.co.uk; thechampagnecompany.com)

A small family-owned champagne house with a justifiably burgeoning cult reputation, Vilmart’s wines have a distinctive rich depth in part from ageing in large oak barrels, this non-vintage blend offering a thrilling balance of richness and steeliness.

Pol Roger Brut Réserve Champagne, France NV (from £40, Co-op, Waitrose)

The wines coming out of the grand old house of Pol Roger are as good as they’ve ever been, with a run of thrilling vintage wines from the last decade, and this evergreen non-vintage in blistering form, offering poised roundness and gorgeous depth of flavour.

• This article was amended on 22 November 2018 because the origin of one wine was given as Republic of North Macedonia. Pending any formal change, the country’s name remains Republic of Macedonia.