The festive season is upon us and it’s the time of the year that we all feel deserving of a treat, so sales of wine rise dramatically and spending per bottle also tends to increase. Given many of us buy our wine as part of the weekly food shop, it made sense to take a look at some of the best supermarket wines for Christmas 2024. Amongst the festive selections are bottles perfect for parties, smoked salmon blinis or turkey on the big day itself.
Sadly, wine is no longer a growth category, so the big supermarkets are fighting to increase their slice of the pie, with one senior buyer confessing that ‘Christmas trading makes or breaks’ annual profit figures. At the risk of sounding like Ebenezer Scrooge, tax is currently a contentious issue. After a one-off spike in duty last year, a much more complicated tax system, tiered by ABV, will increase the price of most wines again from February and potentially reduce the choice of wines on offer. The duty on a typical bottle currently stands at £2.67 and that’s before VAT is added. Attending the autumn supermarket press tastings revealed that price rises are happening – £12 certainly feels like the new £10 – but somehow retail buyers still manage to navigate this tax maelstrom to bring us delicious wines costing roughly the same as a couple of pints at the pub. Good news at least if you’re shopping for Christmas wine this year on a strict budget.
Amongst the festive selections are bottles perfect for parties, smoked salmon blinis or turkey on the big day itself
Based on the wines tasted, Tesco is going great guns, with an impressive range that extends beyond a previous reliance on its ‘Finest’ brand; its nearest rival, Sainsbury’s, seems to have bounced back after a few years of underwhelming; Waitrose is not quite as exciting as it was but deserves credit for some pioneering work on sustainability; Marks has rediscovered its Sparks but you’ll need to use Ocado if you want to buy M&S wines online. Though its stores are much smaller, the Co-op deserves credit for punching above with an enticing range. As for the so-called discounters, over the past decade they have cleverly used wine to connect with new, more affluent customers; Aldi has enjoyed great success with this approach but Lidl is the one to watch, as it gains ground on its German rival.
Come early December, retailers pull out all the stops, boosting shelf space and focusing on targeted promotions, so it pays to be prepared, shopping across the month rather than waiting until the last minute. Regardless of the specific supermarket, sparkling wine is a huge focus at this time of the year, so we will be reporting on the best supermarket sparklers in a week or so. Here, however, are a dozen still wines that represent some of the best supermarket wines to consider for Christmas this year.
12 of the best supermarket wines this Christmas
Charles Drouin, Orée des Charmes, Viré-Clessé 2023
I have been a fan of Viré-Clessé for many years, long before Burgundy prices headed skyward, because the best wines have always balanced ripe, ‘southerly’, juicy fruit with vibrant citrus acidity and this is a fine example, probably worth more than its £19 price tag (but please don’t tell them). There’s plenty of concentration, good complexity and subtle nutty oak. My note from the tasting has ‘bloody delicious’ underlined. 95 points
Best for: A white all-rounder
Sainsbury’s, £19
Zuccardi, Q Chardonnay 2023
Move over Malbec because Chardonnay is Argentina’s next big thing. From third-generation winemaker Sebastián Zuccardi’s fantastic, futuristic, concrete winery in the Uco Valley, this beautiful wine offers understated class, thanks to its purity and precision. Lovers of white Burgundy will savour the subtle, well-integrated oak, from used barrels, and gentle, pillowy, lees texture. A great match for festive goose. 94 points
Best for: Goose
Tesco, £16
Viñedos en Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa 2023
Fragrant and fresh, this is a lovely ‘new wave’ Rioja from a single village, Laguardia, perched on the edge of the Cantabrian mountains. The cool conditions are evident in the bright perfume and purity of the crunchy red fruit and the sleek styling, with well-integrated oak that brings gentle texture rather than woody flavours. An accomplished wine that’s both crowd-pleasing and classy, this is worth seeking out. 93 points
Best for: A red all-rounder
M&S, £18
EH Booth & Co, Chablis 2023
Christmas means Chablis. This is my pick of the own-label ‘village level’ examples because it over-delivers for the price (you’ll need to be in north of England to find a branch of Booths). While the nose offers subtle flintiness and lemon zest, the palate is more generous, with juicy ripe stone fruits balanced by zingy lime acidity, with layered texture and a gentle hint of honeycomb. A rounded wine well suited to festive entertaining. 93 points
Best for: A white to welcome guests
Booths, £14.50
Famille Perrin, Close Encounters Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021
Co-op’s buyers trust the Perrin family to deliver something special each Christmas and this is no exception, a classic combination of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. The label features a slightly baffling nod to UFOs. An aromatic nose of pot pourri, foraged blackberry and morello cherry leads into a substantial but never overbearing blend of fresh, dark, juicy fruit with a savoury, saline streak that demands pigs in blankets. 92 points
Best for: Pigs in blankets
Co-op, £25.50
Château Pey La Tour, Bordeaux Supérieur 2020 (magnum)
I love a magnum because it tends to signify a host with the most but big bottles are relatively rare in supermarket retail, which is a shame. All the more reason to seek out this great value, smooth and well balanced, majority Merlot blend, from Dourthe, a totem for ‘modern Bordeaux’, with a chalky freshness, succulent red fruit and judiciously judged oak, perfect for a festive fillet of beef. 92 points
Best for: Beef fillet
Waitrose, £25.99
Sainsbury’s, Taste the Difference, Pouilly Fumé
A well made Pouilly Fumé that offers signature smokiness, gooseberry and enticing aromas of exotic fruits. An elegant, structured wine with punnets of peach character and subtle hints of mango and sweet spice, balanced by a lime acid line that makes it the perfect partner for spicy Christmas canapés. 92 points
Best for: Spicy canapés
Sainsbury’s, £17
Yarri-Karri, Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Western Australia’s Margaret River region is justly lauded for the quality of its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon but it also warrants praise for its white ‘Bordeaux blends’. Produced for M&S by the Xanadu winery, Semillon takes the lead, with 30% Sauvignon Blanc. An inviting pithy citrus nose with hints of wet stone leads into plump grapefruit and gooseberry, with a waxy texture. 92 points
Best for: Ash-covered goat’s cheese from the Christmas cheeseboard
M&S, £12
Heaven’s Realm, Grüner Veltliner
From Traisental rising star, Markus Huber, this organic Grüner comes from vines as old as 70 years, which helps to explain the lovely intensity and sense of purity. Well balanced, juicy and fresh, a versatile wine that could easily accompany turkey and the trimmings. 92 points
Best for: Christmas turkey
Waitrose, £14.99
Co-op, Irresistible, Assyrtiko 2023
A promising debut for Co-op’s first Greek wine, from the region of Macedonia produced by the Kir Yianni winery. 85% Assyrtiko with 15% Viognier added for aromatic appeal and weight, there’s plenty of freshness, with vibrant citrus, juicy stone fruit and a flinty minerality making it perfect for smoked salmon. 91 points
Best for: Smoked salmon
Co-op, £10
Devil’s Corner, Pinot Noir 2023
Tasmania is most famous for its sparkling wines but as a cool climate region it offers an alternative to New Zealand for fresh, succulent fruit – and the winemaker at Devil’s Corner is a Kiwi. A bright, fragrant nose of cranberry and dried thyme leads into a lithe, fresh wine with crunchy cherry character and a subtle savoury undertow. Delicious and accessible, rather than complex, it offers good value. 91 points
Best for: A party Pinot
Tesco, £15
Agramont, Graciano 2021
A remarkable wine for the price, from old vines in Navarra, with an attractive floral nose and juicy wild red berry, cherry character, supported by subtle savoury structure, with dried herbs and pink peppercorn. The perfect festive party red, most especially for those catering for the masses on a budget. 90 points
Best for: A purse and party-pleasing red
Lidl, £6.49
