Here are some of the best value white wines to buy this Christmas

There are plenty of white wine options available this Christmas.There are plenty of white wine options available this Christmas.
There are plenty of white wine options available this Christmas.
Despite travel restrictions, lockdowns and tiers, it is time to turn our attention to Christmas, and stocking up with wines that will see us through the whole festive season – without actually knowing how festive the occasion will be.

I have no idea how many people will be allowed to sit around my table on Christmas Day, so flexibility will be key.

A mix of wines will be needed, some supermarket offers, to keep us going while wrapping presents that may or may not get delivered, and some special bottles probably from independents to provide those top notes of pleasure on the few days we are allowed to see our nearest and dearest.

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This week I have put white wines under the spotlight. Here are a few suggestions.

£8 and under

Bruce Jack Chenin Blanc 2020, South Africa, Tesco, £13 for 1.5l: This is a bag-in-box wine with a difference. With a fraction of the carbon footprint of glass bottles, it provides two bottles-worth of zesty, delicious Chenin Blanc in a very convenient format. The package is almost completely recyclable.

Beronia Verdejo, Rueda 2019, Spain, Waitrose, down from £8.99 to £6.99 from Wednesday until December 29: Crisp and zesty like a Sauvignon Blanc, with melon fruit and fennel notes mid-palate. Keep in the fridge and bring out whenever your taste buds need reviving.

Taste the Difference Pecorino 2019, Italy, Sainsbury’s, £7: Bright citrus fruit and a rounded, food-friendly style make this a perfect wine to pour alongside turkey or herb-spiked chicken.

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Identity Sauvignon Blanc 2020, South Africa, Sainsbury’s, down from £9 to £7 until December 8: Journey’s End, which makes this wine, has a trebuchet which it rolls out on high days and holidays to raise funds for local causes by (safely) catapulting barrels, cars and other objects into the air. There is a picture of the trebuchet on the label of this wine and the best thing we can do this Christmas is trebuchet 2020 into oblivion. The wine tastes good too.

Days of Summer Muscat 2019, Chile, Co-op, £7: From Chile’s chilly deep south, this tastes like a handful of fresh, juicy white grapes, with floral aromas and tropical-style fruit. Marginally off-dry, enjoy as an aperitif or with salads.

Redwood Hills Single Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020, New Zealand, Aldi, £7.99: Fresh as a daisy with lively zesty, crisp citrus fruit and gooseberry style wine. A terrific aperitif.

Classics Chenin Blanc 2020, Stellenbosch, South Africa, Marks & Spencer, £8: Fresh crisp, honeysuckle aromas, with white peach and crunchy apple notes on the palate. Team with chicken and pork.

£8-£12

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The Best English White 2018, Morrisons, £10: One of the best-value English still wines I have tasted this year. Blended from vineyards across the south of England, with the Bacchus grape definitely taking centre stage, it is fresh and floral, with the scent of an English garden and a crisp minerally finish.

Vin Orange 2019, south-west France, Morrisons, £10: Add a new taste to your Christmas drinking with this orange wine that is not made from oranges, nor is it the colour of oranges. Made using long skin contact with wild yeasts and very low sulphur, Gros Manseng grapes have been macerated for six weeks giving fresh, bright flavours, with a touch of ginger and a firm, food-friendly structure.

Yalumba Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2019, South Australia, Co-op, £10: A delicious Sauvignon that manages a touch more sunshine and tropical fruit than most. Dry with passion fruit and mango notes, this goes well with grilled fish and creamy pasta.

Rustenberg Chardonnay 2019, South Africa, 13.5%, Waitrose, down from £14.99 to £10.99 from Wednesday until December 29: An elegant, precise, peach and apricot style of wine, with just a hint of oak to round out the flavours. Good enough to go with the turkey if your guests prefer white wine.

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Calmel and Joseph Villa Blanche Chardonnay 2019, Pays d’Oc, Latitude Wine (0113 245 3393), £10.99: A southern French Chardonnay that tastes like it comes from another more famous region. Fresh with white floral aromas, peachy, apricot flavours with a rounded texture and pure elegant balance.

Paco and Lola Albariño 2019, Rías Baixas, Spain, Tesco, £12: This bright, fresh Albariño is stylish with blossom aromas, pink grapefruit and lime flavours and a crunchy, minerally finish. Perfect with fish or starters.

Taste the Difference Chablis 2019, France, Sainsbury’s, £12: Crisp, lemon and lime filled flavours, backed by crunchy pebble notes. Team with New Year’s Day lunch.

£12-£20

Bonterra Estate Collection Organic Chardonnay 2019, Mendocino, California, Waitrose, £12.99: Creamy, rounded Chardonnay with just a touch of oak adding complexity. Elegant, stylish and perfect for the main event.

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Stanley Estates Albariño 2019, Marlborough, New Zealand, Booths, down from £16 to £13 until December 8: New Zealand is just getting to grips with Albariño and this is one of the best. Light aromatic apricot and nectarine fruit with zesty pink grapefruit freshness.

The Hermit Crab 2018, Viognier Marsanne, McLaren Vale, Australia, Field & Fawcett, £13.80: This Viognier Marsanne blend greets you in the glass with apricot and nectarine notes edged with ginger, while the palate has a weighty, nutty, complexity with a clean citrus finish. This happily pairs with well-flavoured fish or chicken dishes with olives, pancetta, light spice or mushrooms in the mix.

Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2018, South Africa, Roberts & Speight, £13.99: A serious Chenin from older vines which shows in its honeysuckle aromas, with apple and pineapple notes on the palate.

La Pettegola Vermentino 2019, Banfi, Toscana, Derventio Wines, Malton (01653 693193), £14: A new release from Tuscan winemakers Banfi, this is an aromatic, citrus-driven, ripe pear and apple style wine with a rounded, food-friendly texture. Delicious with shellfish such as scallops and lobster.

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Léon Vatan Pouilly-Fumé 2019, France, Aldi, £14.99: Part of the new up-market range from Aldi which demonstrates its ability to buy well at all price points. Herbaceous and minerally, terrific with fish and starters.

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