Erica Dent of Enjoy Discovering Wine (EDW) admits to splashing out on “one of two treats” in the wine rack for the festive celebration. Whether you are a fan of Pinot Grigio, Malbec, or Sauvignon Blanc, Erica offers some suggestions, plus some ‘wildcard’ options, based on your usual personal choices.

For fans of:
White Wines - light and refreshing

Want to try a different wine this Christmas but not sure where to start? Find out some alternatives based on your usual preferences here

Pinot Grigio drinkers like their wine light-bodied and refreshing with delicate flavours. For an alternative try Soave, which has just a little extra punch, especially if you choose Soave Classico which is from the better vineyards. Made from the classic Italian Garganega grape it can offer fantastic value for money. One of my favourite producers is Inama and you can check it out in Waitrose.

https://www.waitrosecellar.com/inama-vigneti-di-foscarino-soave

A second option is to explore the Greco grape. Winchester’s Italian specialist independent wine shop, Toscanaccio, have a lovely example in Villa Raiano Greco di Tufo DOCG.

https://www.toscanaccio.co.uk/shop/wine/villa-raiano-greco-di-tufo-docg/

For fans of:
White Wines - intense and refreshing
Sauvignon Blanc sippers should head to Wine Utopia in Winchester have one of my all-time favourite New Zealand producers wine Amisfield.

https://wineutopia.co.uk/shop/wine/white-wine/amisfield-sauvignon-blanc-2015

Alternatives could be a Spanish star such as Albarino, intensely aromatic and redolent of peaches, apricots and small Christmassy oranges.

https://wineutopia.co.uk/shop/wine/white-wine/amisfield-sauvignon-blanc-2015

Recently tasted at our regular M&S events was their Candelilla which flew off the shelves afterwards. For an English alternative try Bacchus which has just as refreshing acidity. My favourite at the moment is Dorset wine producer, Lyme Bay, which you can purchase from our friends at Fareham Wine Cellar.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/candelilla-albarino-case-of-6/p/p60273926?extid=ps_gglpla_Wine%20Shop&gclid=Cj0KCQiAz53vBRCpARIsAPPsz8VKQWAMXY8ZXnipGDn9nh9Gvy24FvMcuorlw9EhKZRv4QQDgLmJqhEaAlXNEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.farehamwinecellar.co.uk/product/lyme-bay-sandbar-bacchus/

For fans of:
White Wines - rich and flavoursome
Fans of oaky Chardonnays might consider a barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc from South Africa, which is a good choice for Christmas Day as it will go equally well with your hors d’oeuvres and the main event. EDW are big fans of Simonsig’s avec Chene which you can buy from The General Wine shops in Liphook or Petersfield, or online.

https://www.thegeneralwine.co.uk/products/simonsig_estate_-_chenin_blanc_avec_chene_-_75cl?_pos=2154&_sid=2ae18d69c&_ss=r

Or an alternative could be to explore a clearly oaked Viura; this one is in my wine rack for Christmas Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Blanco ‘Capellanía Vineyard’ available online via The Wine Society.

https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/ProductDetail.aspx?pd=SP15041

Reds wines - very fruity
If Malbec is your thing the Co-operative have Colomé on special offer and it is absolutely delicious.

Red wines - light and refreshing
Fans of lighter red styles can’t go wrong with a Pinot Noir, a grape beloved of winemakers from France to New Zealand. This year Santa is heading to Casablanca in Chile which is producing some cracking Pinot Noirs. For example local wine independent The Naked Grape have this superb bottle of Chono Reserva Pinot Noir.

https://www.thenakedgrape.co.uk/product-page/chono-reserva-pinot-noir

Alternatively, how about upgrading your Beaujolais and choosing one of the Crus making the best wines such as a Fleurie, Morgon (one of my favourites) or a Brouilly. Or maybe check out one of our favourite lighter reds from Chile from the Pais grape. Once again Fareham Wine Cellar save us by stocking Miguel Torres Chile Reserva de Pueblo Pais.

https://www.farehamwinecellar.co.uk/product/miguel-torres-chile-reserva-de-pueblo-pais/

Sparkling wine
Festive fizz! Prosecco fans you can spend more than a tenner and it is well worth it. I visited producer San Gregorio with Alumni Club member Fabrizio and was won over by them including this bottle of their Millesimato Brut.

https://fab-wines.co.uk/product/prosecco-san-gregorio-millesimato-brut

Christmas sees some of the best offers on Champagne so why not treat yourself to some Vintage bubbles. Simply look for a bottle with the date and you can’t go wrong. For fabulous French fizz on a budget check out Crémant, which regularly delivers on the fruit and the biscuit character too or look for the words ‘Traditional Method’ on bottles from outside Europe.

https://www.winecellardoor.co.uk/directory/list/?county-filter=&filter-features%5B%5D=online-shop&filter-section=list&filter-page=1&filter-sort-field=

This year I’m all about the British bubbles and there are plenty of delicious examples to choose from here in Hampshire and elsewhere in the UK. All of the local independents have great selections or visit the vineyards and have a chat with them directly as you gaze over the frosty vineyards. Check out Wine Cellar Door’s www.winecellardoor.co.uk very informative website. They even have a list of UK vineyards with online shops!

Want to know more about how to pair wine and food? Alongside St James Tavern in Winchester we run food and wine pairing workshop and lunch:

https://enjoydiscoveringwine.com/product-category/courses-and-events/events/food-and-wine-pairing/

Whatever you choose have a very lovely festive fun time.

What are the best wines for Christmas and New Year 2019?