Here are my top 20 red wines to try this Christmas - Christine Austin

Once your wine rack is full, then whatever these next few weeks bring, you can huddle around a source of heat, and keep toes and tonsils warm with a glass of something restorative.

Flexibility is the key, so if red is your favourite colour, here are 20 available at supermarkets and indies, and you should buy sooner rather than later.

Specially Selected Marselan 2020, Pays d’Oc, France, Aldi, £6.49: Marselan is a fairly new grape created by crossing Cabernet Sauvignon with Grenache. It packs lots of Cabernet flavours with the juicy character of Grenache. This has dark plums and berry fruit, with a soft, lively style. Pour it with a Boxing Day brunch.

Bruce Jack Shiraz Malbec 2020, South Africa, Tesco, £7: Full-flavoured and robust with ripe juicy red and black fruits, a twist of pepper and a hint of chocolate. Team it with spicy sausages.

Beaujolais 2020, France, Marks & Spencer, £7: Perfect for the festive season, a good Beaujolais goes well with a late-night turkey sandwich, or a Boxing day lunch. This one has fresh, juicy red berry fruit, a soft, rounded palate and a lively finish.

Les Aspres Réserve 2018, Languedoc Roussillon, France, Gérard Bertrand, Morrisons, down from £10 to £7.50 until January 1: Another wine to snap up and tuck away while on offer. Positive cherry and raspberry fruit, with herbs and peppery spice. Good now and will last all through next summer.

Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2015, South Africa, Roberts & Speight, £9.99: Just in case you normally spend the winter in the Cape, here is a taste from one of the most beautiful estates. Ripe blackcurrant and redcurrant fruit with a fresh, leafy note and spice. If you buy a mixed dozen, you get another 10 per cent off.

Taste the Difference Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2016, Discovery Collection, Sainsbury’s, £10: Discovery is a new group of wines at Sainsbury’s that will come and go quite quickly. Grab a bottle of this to try, for its raspberry, cherry and truffle flavours with autumn leaves and earthy notes. This tastes well above its price point.

DV Catena Malbec Tinto Historico Malbec 2018, Tesco, down from £12 to £10 until January 1, Clubcard holders only: It’s well worth getting a Clubcard to get the deals at Tesco. This is serious and savoury, like a compote of dark red fruits, trapped in a cigar box and then poured into a glass.

La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir 2019, Vin de France, Majestic, £10.99, down to £8.99 on a mix-six deal: Soft, juicy Pinot packed with blackberry and cherry fruit. Easy drinking and perfect to team with the flavours of Christmas.

Villa Blanche Syrah 2019, Calmel & Joseph, Pays d’Oc, Latitude Wines (Leeds), £10.99: Southern French Syrah with style and attitude. Full of ripe black fruit with figs and prunes, an edge of mocha coffee and tannins wrapped around the flavours in a supple, slinky way.

Zuccardi Los Olivos Malbec 2020, Uco Valley, Argentina, Hoults, £11: This wine has delicious plum and forest fruit flavours, along with white pepper, savoury complexity and a fresh finish. It is seriously good and great value.

Ch. Maris Les Planels Organic, Waitrose, down from £17.99 to £11.99 until December 28: Made by organic and biodynamic devotee Bertie Eden, this has chunky fruit and smooth tannins with just a whiff of sage and thyme. Great with tomato-based dishes, red meat and cheese.

El Coto Rioja Crianza 2017, Spain, Harrogate Wines, £12.99: A lively, juicy modern style of Rioja with bags of red fruit and vanilla with oak tucked into the background, adding depth and silky tannins.

Villa Antinori Toscana 2018, Italy, Co-op, £13: This used to be designated Chianti, but it became so popular that they now use grapes from outside the exact area. However, the quality is still up to scratch, with tastes of strawberry fruit, truffles and those misty mornings you get in the Tuscan hills.

Jacques BonCoeur Classic Claret 2016, Bordeaux, France, Bon Coeur Fine Wine (Melsonby), £14.28 or £12.99 in a six-pack: This comes from the winemaker at Ch Gloria which has long been one of my favourite St Julien properties. The 2016 vintage was excellent, and this shows in its smooth, elegant style with cassis up front, and juicy black fruit supporting. Ready now but won’t come to any harm for another couple of years.

Yalumba Samuel’s Collection Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Barossa, South Australia, York Wines, £15.95: A classic smooth, full-flavoured Aussie Cab Shiraz with Cab definitely to the fore. It is elegant, rounded and food friendly, with the Shiraz providing the bass notes, spice and warmth.

Cairanne La Côte Sauvage 2018, Rhône, France, Martinez Wines, £16.99: Cairanne has always punched above its classification, and now as a Cru, it delivers power, weight and flavour. Dark red fruits, spice and chocolate, with concentration and supple tannins that demand meat.

Paul Cluver Estate Pinot Noir 2018, Elgin, South Africa, Majestic, £18.99, down to £14.99 on a mix-six deal: Log on to the Majestic website and snap up

this special buy before it all goes. Cluver makes fabulous Pinots, with red cherry, plum and raspberry fruit, edged with a hint of spice.

Ch Preuillac 2012, Cru Bourgeois, Médoc, France, Booths, £20: Serious stuff with cassis and sweet bramble fruit, earthy savoury notes, held in a firm, yet ripe structure. Give it some air and it will give you fabulous flavours.

Leeuwin Estate 2018 Shiraz, Margaret River, Western Australia, Field & Fawcett, £27.95: Gorgeous black fruit and damson plums up front, layered with spice and backed by smooth savoury complexity. Fresh on the finish and very food friendly. Wonderful now but will keep.

Beaune du Château Premier Cru 2017, Bouchard Pere et Fils, France, Waitrose, £32.99: From the top vineyards of this historic Burgundy House, this is elegant, smooth and eminently suited to sipping on Christmas night.