Christmas is coming early this year, at least in terms of thinking about ordering or organising wine for the festive season. There are different factors at play when choosing wine for Christmas compared to the rest of the year, when you can be largely informed by your own personal preferences or whatever you fancy drinking.
ver the coming weeks, however, you’ll need to consider who else you’ll be pouring for and how that plays into cost and styles of wine. If there’s a large gathering of cross-generational family, now might not be the time for your funkiest natural wine; if it’s a thirsty gang who’ll be paying more attention to the juicy gossip than the juice in their glass, you might want to hold back on your budget, and save that spend for a personal treat to be enjoyed with more intimate company on a quieter afternoon or evening.
When it comes to the big Christmas lunch feast — or indeed any of the various feasts you might be planning over the period — you’ll want to consider wines that will prime your appetite for the food to come as well as those that will complement whatever you are serving.
In general, red wines with brighter fruit and higher acidity tend to be more broadly food-friendly and in particular are a better match for the large roast bird that most of us will be enjoying, especially if we’re adding tart cranberry sauce and rich gravy and diverse side dishes into the mix. (That said, we Irish love our beefy claret at Christmas so I’ve included a few of those too.)
Conversely, white wines with a bit of weight and opulence will stand up better to richer starters and roasts, while leaner cleaner styles will work well as aperitifs or with seafood starters. And don’t forget a little something sweet as a pick-me-up at the end of a meal — many of these wines will work as well with salty cheeses as with traditional desserts.
Happy reading, happy tippling and — dare I say it — happy Christmas to you and whoever you’ll be sharing it with this year.
Whites for a Christmas Day feast
Delheim Chenin Wild Ferment 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa, €15.95, 13.5pc
Think rich opulence meets South African value here with complexity born of a combination of wild yeast fermentation in French oak and extended lees ageing. It delivers a smoky, savoury complexity with hints of toasted pineapple and toffee apple. Just the ticket to match richer dishes like foie gras or goose.
O’Briens nationwide; obrienswine.ie
Salentein ‘Barrel Selection’ Chardonnay 2021 Mendoza, Argentina, €20, 13pc
From pioneers of Uco Valley Chardonnay comes this Gold Star Winner of Best New World White under €20 at the recent Irish Wine Show Awards: lively and well balanced with some smoky minerality and warm citrus notes. Look too for their generous Numina Chardonnay (€28) which ramps things up with some restrained oak-ageing fleshing out the rich tropical fruits.
NOffLA member stores and independent retailers including Sweeney’s, The Vintry, celticwhiskeyshop.com
Quinta de Couselo ‘O Rosal’, Rias Baixas, Spain, €24.95, 13pc
This weighty blend with Caíño Blanco and Loureiro has succulent stone fruit aromas, while bitter zesty notes of quince and grapefruit accentuate the structure that will pair well with the cranberry sauce tartness with the turkey dinner.
Mitchell & Son; mitchellandson.com
Fitapreta Palpite Branco, Alentejo, Portugal, €28.50, 13.5pc
If you’d like a rich Burgundian-style white without the price tag, this gastronomic Arinto-led field blend of certified organic, local Alentejo grapes offers creamy vanilla and Werther’s Original notes nodding to its 15 months in French oak, undercut by fresh citrus character and some bitter vegetal notes keeping it very food friendly. Consider pairing with its fragrant little sister wine, Fitapreta Branco (€18.50).
Celtic Whiskey Shop; celticwhiskeyshop.com
Suertes del Marques ‘Trenzado’ 2021, Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Spain, €28–32, 11.5pc
A powerful and lively expression of the Listan Blanco grape which is native to Tenerife, with smoky, nutty, floral and honeyed nuances thanks to wild yeast fermentation and 10 months oak ageing, supported by a delicate mineral note that makes it a great pairing with grilled seafood into roast white meats.
Green Man Wines, Lilith, Loose Canon, Fallon & Byrne, Sweeney’s, Baggot St Wines, McCurtain Wine Cellar, atasteofspain.ie
Bodegas y Viñedoes ‘Shaya Habis’ Verdejo Vinas Viejas 2018, Rueda, Spain, €32.99, 13.5pc
Unusually, this old-vine Verdejo is aged on its lees in French oak barrels for seven months, bringing richness and age-worthiness. Nuanced aromas of candied fennel and dried apple lead to gorgeous concentration on the dense palate with touches of bitter lemon and quince keeping the nutty apricot character fresh.
Sweeney’s, wineonline.ie
Bailly-Reverdy, ‘La Mercy Dieu’ Sancerre 2021, Loire, France, €27.95, 13pc
Distinctively Sancerre with its wet stone minerality but with great concentration of clean and green Sauvignon notes of capsicum and nettles, gooseberry and kiwi fruit, this is a fine drop to pair with seafood starters which would also sit happy with tart cranberry sauce.
Selected independents and La Caveau Kilkenny; lecaveau.ie
Reds for a Christmas Day feast
Chateau la Devine ‘Cuvee Passion’ St Emilion 2020, Bordeaux, France, €18.99, 14.5pc
Drinking as dark and dense as it looks, this young St Emilion is a rich and bold fruit bomb with slightly meaty earthy aromas of crushed black fruit, pepper and cocoa, plush mouthfeel and fine ripe tannins. Bordeaux for lovers of generous fruit-forward Merlot.
Molloys
Quinta do Vale Meao ‘Meandro’ Vinho Tinto, Douro, Portugal, €22–25, 14pc
If you can stretch to the €120 for the big brother Quinta do Vale Meao with its sensational velvety texture, then lucky you: but at a fraction of the price, this second wine of the estate gives you some of that powerand energy, with wonderful complexity and purity of fruit wrought from meticulous winemaking. One to pair with venison or other game.
Independents including Pinto Wines, Baggot Street Wines, Mitchell & Son, The Corkscrew, theallotment.ie
Tenuta Olim Bauda Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC, Piedmont, Italy, €24.95, 14pc
Elegant yet earthy aromas with spiced perfume that conjure dried rose petals and wild berries with subtle Christmas spice, lean and precise on the palate with fine grained tannins and a fabulous finish that is clean, linear and surprisingly long for the price point.
Mitchell & Son; mitchellandson.com
Crystallum Peter Max Pinot Noir 2021, Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa, €35, 14pc
If you love Burgundian Pinot but don’t love its price tag, South Africa has some cool-climate treasures that are bargains for their quality. Peter-Allan Finlayson continues the legacy started by his father Peter (at Bouchard Finlayson) as this lithe, supple and perfumed Pinot shows with its floral and red fruit flounce and peppery, earthy, liquorice-inflected flavours. A brilliantly versatile food wine.
Independents including Whelehans; whelehanswines.ie
Les Hauts de Lynch-Moussas 2016, Haut-Medoc, France, €28.95 (reduced from €32.95), 13.5pc
A robust and structured Cabernet-led second wine from a Pauillac estate with Irish Wine Geese heritage, this has some age development drawing out notes of old leather and earthy undergrowth and fleshing out baked cassis and forest fruit character. Delicious drinking at the price.
O’Briens; obrienswine.ie
Tenuta Caparsa, ‘Caparsino’ Chianti Classico Riserva 2014, Italy, €41.95, 13.5pc
Lifted aromas of dried cranberry, pomegranate, polished wood and leather lead to some very delicious red fruit flavours undercut by black olive and tomato leaf.
Selected independents and Caveau Kilkenny; lecaveau.ie
Domaine Antoine Sunier Régnié 2020, Beaujolais, France €29.95, 13.5pc
A supple red to woo white wine lovers, this Gamay from a sustainability-focussed winemaker in the Regnié Cru is bright and light with pretty raspberry, blueberry and pomegranate fruit notes, herbal-floral perfume and bitter cherry notes on the finish. Light enough to bridge starters through to the roast bird.
Selected independents and Searsons; searsons.com
The top bubbles
Prapian 3 Volte Brut NV, Prosecco Asolo Superiore DOCG, Veneto, Italy, €10.40, 11pc
A classy package with organic credentials, this has nicely concentrated fruit notes of apricot and quince, a frothy mousse and decent length with touches of sherbet. A well-priced drop to get the party started.
Dunnes; dunnesstoresgrocery.com
Voria Bianco Pet Nat, Porta del Vento, Sicily, Italy, €20–22, 11.5pc
A Methode Ancestral fizz produced from old organically cultivated bush vine Catarratto in hills above Palermo where cool winds keep things fresh, this unfiltered pet nat has apple juice aromas leading to juicy tropical fruits on the palate with creamy orange notes on the finish.
Selected independents including Le Caveau Kilkenny; lecaveau.ie, Frank’s, Hen’s Teeth, Dooks Fine Foods, thenudewineco.ie
Villa Conchi Cava Brut NV, Catalonia, Spain, €22–24, 13pc
Gold Star winner of the Under €25 Sparkling Wine category at the Irish Wine Show 2022–23, and produced in the traditional bottle fermented method that gives Champagne its toasted notes,this rich and well-balanced Cava marries dried apple and toasted aromas with some clean mineral notes on the finish.
Searsons, Ardkeen, Molloys, McHugh’s, O’Donovans, Carry Out and NOffLA members; wineonline.ie
Kylie Minogue Vino Frizzante Rosato, Veneto, Italy, €10–15, 10.5pc
There’s nothing serious about this fun and fruity little fizz, pouring candy pink from its heart-stamped bottle with crushed raspberry and sweet berry aromas, and a medium-dry profilebalanced by some zesty freshness on the finish. Serve solo or with crab, prawns or mortadella.
Widely available including SuperValu, Dunnes and Tesco
Party whites
Pierre Jaurant Côtes de Gascogne 2021, France, €8.99, 11pc
Low in alcohol but big in character with generous notes of pink grapefruit that carry through to the dry and tangy palate, this shows how Gascony’s Colombard grape can make a great alternative to Sauvignon Blanc. Pair with seafood-based bites.
Aldi
Selbach Riesling Mosel QbA 2020, Germany, €13.95 (from €16.45), 10.5pc
At just 10.5pc, this is a great option for a daytime gathering, especially if served with some salty fried snacks to balance its off-dry profile. A bouquet of delicate floral and richer autumnal orchard fruit notes leads to a deliciously tangy palate.
O’Briens; obrienswine.ie
Riff Pinot Grigio, Veneto, Italy, €15–18, 12.5pc
Produced in Veneto’s Alpine foothills by the acclaimed family-run Alois Lageder winery further north in Alto Adige, this offers great bang for buck, with expressive yellow apple aromas and a bitter almond twist and juicy tang to cut the rich texture. A smart, organic-certified crowd-pleaser.
Baggot St Wines, DrinkStore, Redmonds Ranelagh, McHugh’s, Clontarf Wines, Mitchell & Son, Barnhill Stores
Renesi Roero Arneis DOCG 2021, Italy, 13pc, €13
A full-bodied but clean and unoaked white from calcareous-siliceous soils in Piemonte, with fragrant notes of white flower, apricot and almond, this is a stylish choice for a party that will stand up well to cheese-based and fried snacks.
Marks & Spencer
B-Liv Organic Sauvignon Blanc, 2021, Chile, €10.99, 12.5pc
Zesty and fresh but restrained in a way that Chilean Sauvignon Blanc can be, with crowd-pleasing character of grapefruit, spring nettles and crisp apple, this food-friendly drop will support a range of flavours with some understated acidity.
Spar, EuroSpar, Mace
Party reds
Pere & Fils Syrah Grenache 2019, Pays d’Oc, France, €8.40, 14pc
From a prolific Languedoc winery where Foxrock native Neasa Corish works alongside her husband and eighth-generation winemaker Laurent Miquel, this is soft and juicy with Syrah bringing subtle pepper and liquorice spice and Grenache ramping up the lively red fruits. Warm and friendly and punching above its price point.
Dunnes Stores; dunnesstoresgrocery.com
Specially Selected Chassaux et Fils Costières De Nîmes, Rhone, France, €8.99, 13.5pc
A pretty Syrah-led Rhone blend with Grenache, Marcela, Carignan and Mourvèdre, offering fragrant floral and red cherry notes in a fruit-forward style, but drinking dry and easy. Simple stuff but quite elegant, and as happy with or without food.
Aldi
Emiliana Vineyards ‘Eco Pinot Noir’ 2021, Valle del Bio, Chile, €13.95, 13.5pc
A light and fruity Pinot from organically cultivated vineyards with some smoky bacon notes seasoning its cherry and raspberry aromas, and light tannins making for dangerously easy drinking and enough freshness to pair well with cured meats and cheese.
Selected independents including Drinkstore and Searsons; searsons.com
La Celia Reserva Malbec 2021, Uco Valley, Argentina, €9.99, 13.5pc
Rich and spicy with aromas of lifted forest fruit and polished wood leading to a soft and ripe profile on the palate with pretty red fruits bringing freshness, this will pair as well with cured meats as cocktail sausages.
Spar, EuroSpar, Mace
Mont Tauch La Bête Noire, Fitou AOP, France, €11.99, 13.5pc
With generous fruit notes of dark berry and black cherry with liquorice spice and rustic tannins, this winter-warming wine from the south if France is perfect to serve with a hearty hotpot for a casual open-house gathering.
Selected independents and NOffLA members nationwide, thegrapevinedublin.ie
Les Deux Cols ‘ Ô’ Font 2020, Rhone, France, €16.95, 14pc
An Irish-made, light-touch blend of Grenache-Syrah from trio Simon Tyrrell, Charles Derain and Gerard Maguire (of 64 Wine), with great concentration of fruit and spice and some fragrant notes of sandalwood, smoke and dried strawberry.
Selected independents including Deveney’s, 64 Wine, Ely Wine Store, wineonline.ie, searsons.com
Sweet wines
Lustau East India Solera Sherry, Jerez, Spain, €17.95–€22, 20pc
Dark in mahogany colour and in complex sweet-umami aromas (think roast brazil nuts, dried fig, black liquorice, dark toffee, cocoa and coffee) but lifted by orange peel and kumquat acidity, this is bone-dry old oloroso sweetened with some old Pedro Ximénez. Medium-sweet without ever being cloying, it’s a brilliant match for blue cheese, dark chocolate, plum pudding and tart tatin.
Widely available including O’Briens, Clontarf Wines, Martins and Mitchell & Son; mitchellandson.com
Disznókő Furmint Late Harvest 2019, Tokaji, Hungary, €14.95 (50cl), 13.5pc
Consider this your gateway Tokaji: the wine to turn you on to the pleasures of dessert wine. Expect rich opulence with roast apricot skin and honeycomb, beeswax and marmalade and a touch of saffron scent. Perfect with orchard fruit desserts or salty cheese.
O’Briens; obrienswine.ie
Fletcher’s Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port 2017, Douro Valley, Portugal, €14.99, 20pc
A well-priced introduction to LBV port, which offers considerably more complexity than a ruby but with more stability than a vintage port, meaning that you can enjoy it over several weeks. Expect dried fruit and Christmas spice notes and a rich chocolate finish.
Aldi
Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling 2018, Clare Valley, Australia, €28–30 (37.5cl), 11.5pc
This Australian dessert wine showcases the crystalline quality of Clare Valley Riesling, with bitter-sweet citrus notes of lemon curd and kumquat, lime and mandarin sherbet, and honeyed passion-fruit tang. Pair with citrus-based desserts or just enjoy solo.
McHugh’s, The Corkscrew, Baggot Street Wines, wineonline.ie
Aperitifs
Camille Meyer Vieilles Vignes Gewürztraminer 2021, Alsace, France, €9.99, 13.5pc
A medium-dry smoky Gewürztraminer with notes of lychee and pineapple, jasmine and roses mightn’t seem like an obvious aperitif, but pair it with the right bites and you’re in business: contrast the residual sweetness and keen acidity with rich savoury flavours such as duck liver pate, perhaps, with an apricot chutney, or smoked salmon.
Lidl
Vignamato Valle delle Lame, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2021, Marche, Italy, €15 (from €17), 13pc
Bursting with aromatic character that runs the gamut from almond oil and sweet William flowers to citrus leaf and lemon peel, with some bitter almond and herbal notes cutting the richness on the palate. Serve with savoury seafood snacks to get the tastebuds ready to feast.
Whelehans; whelehanswines.ie
‘Via Barrosa’ Mencia 2020, Valdeorras, Spain, €21–24, 12.5pc
A fresh, floral and fragrant Mencia is just the thing to get the taste buds tingling. This juicy number is full of wild cherry, cranberry and elderberry tang, savoury herbal nuance and crunchy tannins.
Independents including Jus De Vin, Thomas’s Foxrock, Barnhill Stores, Clontarf Wines
Tement ‘Kalk & Kreide’ Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Südsteiermark, Austria, €29, 12.5pc
From the producers of the super smoky and mineral-driven Domaine Ciringa Fosilni Breg Sauvignon Blanc from across the border in Slovenia, this organically grown Sauvignon from Styria has smoky notes too thanks to limestone soil but lots of fleshy exotic fruit, great attack and generous weight.
Selected independents including Barnhill Stores, Blackrock Cellar, siyps.com, 64wine.ie
Momento Grenache Gris 2019, Western Cape, South Africa, €35.99, 13.5pc
A beauty by winemaker Marelise Niemann, the tension between honeyed exotic fruits and the crisp piquancy of a bitter herbal edge makes for an excellent aperitif, perhaps with some savoury snacks.
Independents including Redmonds of Ranelagh, Ely Wine Store, wineonline.ie
Cave de Lugny Crémant de Bourgogne, France, €18.95 (from €21.45) 11.5pc
Frothy and frisky, crisp and creamy, with a twist of salinity keeping things lively, and at just 11.5pc, this Blanc de Blancs (100pc Chardonnay) from a Mâconnais cooperative with a strong sustainability focus will make a perfect start to your Christmas morning!
O’Briens; obrienswine.ie
So Rosé Cuvee Vino Spumante Brut Rosé, Castelvetro di Modena, Italy, €24.99, 12.5pc
A sassy Spumante fizz that is very distinctive from its electric-cherry hues through to its intense aromas of red cherry and plums and vibrant flavours of dried raspberry and wild strawberry. It drinks fruity but finishes dry — a superb aperitif.
Thomas’s of Foxrock, Morton’s of Ranelagh, Barnhill Stores, Boggans Shop Wexford
Gustave Lorentz Crémant d’Alsace Brut, Alsace, France , €27, 12.5pc
Equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero come together in this tangy Alsace fizz, with some heady blossom notes and earthy yeasty complexity thanks to its traditional bottle fermentation.
The Vintry, Redmonds of Ranelagh, Kelly’s Wine Vault, Bradley’s, The Wine Centre, Myles Creek
Kaiken Método Tradicional Brut, Argentina, €29.99, 12.5pc
An elegant blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (70:30) and traditional bottle fermentation make for a classy drop that is rich and bold with red fruit notes hanging on a delicate spine of racy lemon and lime, balanced by some buttery toasty richness.
Donnybrook Fair, Blackrock Cellar, The Corkscrew, wineonline.ie
AR Lenoble Brut Intense Champagne NV, France, €55, 12pc
Pristine grower Champagne produced by sister-and-brother vignerons Anne and Antoine Malassagne, who have a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, this is Pinot Meunier led but blended with Grand Cru Chardonnay and Premier Cru Pinot Noir for creamy and bold but taut effect. Excellent value for the quality and worth seeking out, as is their nutty yet saline Brut Nature ‘MAG16’ NV (Greenacres, €60).
Selected independents including Deveney’s; deveneys.ie
Seasonal blow-out treats
Jean-Claude Bessin Chablis Premier Cru La Forêt 2019, Burgundy, €49.95, 13.5pc
Offering great value for the quality, this intrigues with aromas of waxy lemon and white blossom underlaid by a slightly mineral salinity, then follows through with thrilling tension on the palate between generous breadth, chalky grip and a tight saline core that is pure and clean. A classy wine to pair with a luxurious shellfish starter.
McHugh’s, D-Six Off Licence, Sweeney’s
Seguin-Manuel Meursault Vieilles Vignes 2019, Burgundy, France, €55 (from €70), 13pc
If you prefer your classic Burgundy whites on the richer side of things but without getting overblown or showy, this beautiful example shows the understated power that old-vine Meursault can swathe in a silky softness, with hints of honeyed, spiced apple and flinty smoky oak. Elegant.
O’Briens; obrienswine.ie
‘Venus de la Figuera’ Garnatxa Negra 2017, Montsant DO, Spain, €67.50, 15pc
This magnificent high-altitude, amphora-aged Garnacha offers dark fruit aromas (elderberry and fig) with balsamic and black olive notes, with a dense and velvety texture lifted by bright cherry, wild herbs and finely poised acidity. Be sure to decant and pair with pungent flavours.
Independents including The Wine Pair, Bradley’s, boutiquewines.ie
Les Hauts de Smith Rouge 2016, Bordeaux, France, €45.95, 14.5pc
A wonderful introduction to the organic estate of Chateau Smith Lafitte in Pessac-Leognan, produced from their younger vine selection, with an impressive tension between ripe rich fruit and great freshness, with fine velvety tannins adding to the dense texture and a finish that goes and goes. Drinking well, if still a baby, with concentrated spice-baked figs and juicy plums and cherries.
jnwine.com
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Champagne NV, €65–70, 12pc
This offsets rich aromas of almond croissants, cinnamon spice and tropical fruits with a crisp and mineral profile on the palate, where delicate citrus and richer apricot notes make a superb match for smoked chicken mousse.
Widely available including Whelehans, 64 Wine, The Wine Centre, O’Brien’s; obrienswine.ie
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV, France, €90, 12pc
A bouquet of macerated strawberry shortcake and cream lead to dazzling freshness, focus and purity of acidity on the palate with some frisky orange zest and red cherry and a fine elegant mousse.
Widely available including Whelehans, 64 Wine, Celtic Whiskey Shop, Jus de Vine, irishdrinkshop.com
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