We take a look at the very best red wines to enjoy over the Christmas and New Year period. Our picks are rich, fresh and above all, delicious.
Luis Cañas Selección De La Familia Rioja Reserva 2008 (75cl)
Powerful and juicy with flavours of ripe strawberries and plums, this deep ruby wine is great with pasta dishes and roast beef. Enjoy with the family or wow your guests at a festive dinner party.
Available to buy online from Selfridges. RRP: £24.99.
Marqués de Murrieta Gran Reserva 2007 (75cl)
A full-bodied red with rich flavours of blackberries and a hint of spicy oak. This show-stopping wine works perfectly alongside Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
Available to buy online from Amazon.co.uk. RRP: £28.99.
Clos de los Siete 2013 (75cl)
The 2013 is the twelfth in a series of successful vintages from Michel Rolland’s high altitude campo in Vista Flores in the Valle de Uco (Argentina) which he created along with seven investors in the late 90s. Today around 325 hectares of vines in the 840 hectare estate contribute to the Clos de los Siete blend which, in 2013, is made up of 53% Malbec, 23% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah and 4% Petit Verdot. This wine has seductive aromas of spice and fruit with pronounced mineral character. On the palate it has delicate plum and dark fruit aromas interlaced with subtle notes of spice and pepper with velvety tannins and a long, generous finish.
Available to buy online at Sainsbury. RRP: £15.
Château Pey la Tour Réserve, Bordeaux Supérieur 2011 (magnum)
Indulge in a magnum this Christmas with a red wine from top Bordeaux producer, Dourthe. This Merlot dominant wine from Salleboeuf has a ripe, concentrated nose with intense cherry and plum flavours and roasted mocha notes. Generous and well-balance on the palate with velvety tannins and a fresh finish. Serve with turkey and all the trimmings.
Available to buy from Waitrose. RRP £35.
The King’s Wrath Pinot Noir (75cl)
Made in the Southern Valleys of Malborough, New Zealand, by Brent Marris, Marisco Vineyards, The Kings Series range is a celebration of his family heritage dating back to the 12th Century on Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, United Kingdom. Each wine in the range tells a story about his ancestors, the de Mariscos, and their tempestuous relationship with the English monarchy.
This particular pinot noir offers bright notes of wild berries on the nose – these are transformed into savoury elements of tobacco leaf and lightly toasted cedar on the palate, enhanced by crunchy red berry fruit flavours. Match it with spinach and mushroom stuffed smoked pork loin served with hasselback potatoes and beetroot jam.
Available to buy online from Ocado. RRP: 18.99.
Masi Costasera Amarone Classico 2011 (75cl)
Well known in the Venetian regions since the time of the Ancient Romans, the Appassimento grape drying technique has been used at Masi for generations to create its famous Amarone wines.
With their complex aromas, concentrated flavours and rich character, Masi’s Costasera Amarone Classico makes ideal pairings for rich winter fare, displaying its full exuberance when enjoyed with red meat, quail, pork chops or suckling pig.
Available to buy from Majestic. RRP: £35.
Gentleman’s Collection Cabernet Sauvignon (75cl)
This handsome Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect Christmas wine. The easy drinking red is made with a dash of fortified for rounded refinement and hint of Christmas flavour
Available to buy from Morrisons as well as many independent wine stores. RRP: £9.99.
Château de Haute Serre Grand Vin Seigneur AOC Cahors 2012 (75cl)
The Château de Haute-Serre Grand Vin Seigneur Malbec, from the Vigouroux estate, has a very dark colour with crimson highlights and a powerful bouquet of Morello cherry, blackcurrant and spice. The fresh and fruity nose is reflected in the palate which has a long, silky smooth after taste.
Available to buy from Odd Bins. RRP: £20.00.
Chateau Lafleur de Haute Serre AOC Cahors 2014 (75cl)
The Lafleur has a very fine nose and dark red brilliance. In the mouth it presents soft tannins, with a concentration of flavours reminiscent of redcurrant jelly. A feminine wine with structure and elegance.
Available to buy from Odd Bins. RRP: £13.75.
Le Prince de Courthézon 2013 – Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC (75cl)
This award-winning Châteauneuf du Pape is the most famous red of the southern Rhône, adored for its big spice and warm, raisiny fruit. Le Prince de Courthézon is made with grapes sourced from ancient, low yielding vines across the region, which creates a lovely sweet and intense taste. This rich red is best served with a hearty casserole or roast lamb.
Available to buy from laithwaites.co.uk. RRP: £17.99.
Cocchi Barolo Chinato (50cl)
Barolo Chinato was pioneered in the last century by Cocchi, an Italian, award-winning producer of aromatised wines and vermouth. This drink has all of the richness and all of the spicy notes that one wants from an excellent red wine (Barolo Chinato is made with a base of 5-year old Barolo) plus 25 carefully-selected botanicals, which all mellow beautifully on the tongue to a sweeter finish. Delicious sipped after a meal, as a much-needed digestif for the excesses of the festive season, the Barolo Chinato also makes an unbeatable pairing with chocolate.
Available to buy from The Whisky Exchange. RRP: £39.99
2012 Berry Bros. & Rudd Nuits-St Georges by Benjamin Leroux (75cl)
Benjamin Leroux has sourced this engaging Nuits-St Georges from the Les St Jaques vineyard, on the north side of the appellation, which provides the most stylish wines. It is fine-boned and very pure, with cherries throughout. The wine offers superb length from this excellent 2012 vintage and should be savoured with roast chicken, lamb or game.
Available to buy from Berry Bros. & Rudd. RRP: £29.95.
