Waitrose are doing a 25% off wine deal - these are my top recommendations

Specially Selected Gavi 2023, Piemonte, Italy, 12%, Aldi £7.69: Made from 100% Cortese grapes this is a light, fresh-tasting wine with pear and apple fruit, with a crisp, minerally finish.

Jim Barry Lodge Hill Riesling 2022, Clare Valley, Australia, 12.5%, Booths, down from £13.75 to £11.75 until November 15: Zesty white peach, lime and nectarine flavours with a streak of mouth-watering acidity. Line this up against scallops, a prawn and salmon fish pie or lightly spiced dishes.​

Ken Forrester The Misfits Cinsault 2022, South Africa, 12.5%, Tesco down from £10 to £8 with a Tesco Clubcard until November 4: Strawberry, raspberry, morello cherry and a touch of white pepper all wrapped up in a light juicy wine. Perfect with a herby roast chicken​

Taste the Difference Morador Cabernet Franc 2022, Argentina, 14.5%, Sainsbury down from £9.50 to £8 until October 29: Dark red fruits, plums and just a lift of herbs on the finish. Pour alongside grilled lamb chops.​

25% off at Waitrose

They never let me tell you in advance, so now I can reveal that the latest Waitrose 25% off wine and champagne deal started last Wednesday and continues until Tuesday 29 October, so you have plenty of time to select the best bargains.

You need to buy six bottles between £5 and £100, at the normal price, and the 25% discount is taken off at the till or online checkout. It is always tempting to buy your usual wines and pocket the discount, but it is always better to trade up and stash away some bargains for future drinking.

Having just tasted through 150 of the newest wines and vintages in the range, I would head for the crisp, minerally Calmel and Joseph No. 2 Sauvignon Blanc (normally £9.99); Waitrose No. 1 Margaux 2021 (normally £24.99) which will be perfect for Christmas lunch and with the festive season ahead, several bottles of Cave de Lugny Crémant de Bourgogne (normally £16.99).

Tasting in Leyburn

On Saturday 9 November, between 11am and 4pm, Campbell’s of Leyburn will have around 25 of their suppliers giving away tasting samples of food and drink, for free. This is a chance to taste wines and food you may not have tried before, and the suppliers are on hand to tell you all about them. There will be around 100 wines available to taste, as well as beers and spirits. This event is well worth a detour to Leyburn.

Winemaker dinners

Make sure you get a ticket to one of the two dinners being hosted by Louis Styrdom, winemaker at Ernie Els wine estate in South Africa next month. He will be at Quinta Bar and Grill in Ilkley on Tuesday 19 November to present a range of wines from this fabulous estate. Tickets cost £80 per person, contact Quinta direct on 01943 602670.

The following evening, Louis will be at Shipley Golf Club on to present his wines alongside a three-course dinner. Tickets cost £70 per person, ring 01274 568652.

Ernie Els is famous in the golfing world, but his wine estate is also famous for its high quality wines which Louis has been making for 20 years, gathering many top scores in international competitions. Louis is a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, an invitation-only association of the absolute best South African winemakers. These dinners present a fabulous opportunity to taste exceptional wines and hear all about them from an exceptional winemaker.