2nd November 2022 | Top Drops | 5 minute read
Christmas is all about spending quality time with friends and family…and drinking premium wines of course! Which is why we are here to give you a helping hand in choosing the perfect premium wines for the festive season. From rich, warming reds, to the perfect whites for your Christmas dinner, we have asked our Wine Buyers for their top picks for the ultimate Christmas. So, without further ado, here are what the experts think you should be getting your hands on!
To kick things off we are starting with one of our favourites, the Perez Cruz Liguai. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carménère is bold and full of power, making it the perfect winter red.
Packed with complex flavours of blackberries and dark fruits, with notes of chocolate and black pepper, this red is elegantly rich. From the Maipo Valley in Chile, this vino has all the classic trademarks of a warm climate Cabernet blend, making it the ideal match for beef or game over the festive period.
Sticking with Cabernet Sauvignon, but a single varietal this time, the Powers Champoux Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 has Christmas written all over it. From the often underappreciated New World wine region of Washington, this Cab Sav is bursting with quality.
Layers of rich, dark berry fruit flavours are punctuated by hints of cedar, coffee and leather, resulting in an intense yet beautifully smooth, full-bodied wine. Perfect with all those rich meats such as venison or beef, but also a heavenly match for mature, hard cheeses you may be indulging in this Christmas.
We are turning the intensity down a few notches with this next one. If lighter reds are more your thing the Domaine Michel Girard Sancerre Rouge could tick all the boxes. It’s rare to find a red from Sancerre, which makes this vino that little more special.
Made using Pinot Noir, this red is lighter in body and much more delicate in flavour, yet just as delicious. The thing that makes this just so perfect for Christmas is its versatility with food. In particular it’s a great match with turkey as it doesn’t overpower the delicate nature of the meat. It will also go down a storm with a cheese board.
If you are looking to discover something new this Christmas, then the Schola Sarmenti Nerio Reserve Nardo DOC should be at the top of your list! Produced in the Puglia region of Italy from a local grape variety called Malvasia Nera di Lecce, this wine is full-bodied and made with huge amounts of care.
Grapes are handpicked and hand sorted to ensure only the best are used in the production of this indulgent red. The wine is aged for 8 month in oak barrels to allow the tannins to soften and the flavours to develop before being aged for a further 8 months in the bottle, creating a truly outstanding wine that’s full of character.
And lastly, no list of premium Christmas wines would be complete without this French classic, so it’s no surprise our buyers have included it. Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Speciale is a GSM blend made using grapes from some of the oldest, lowest yielding vines in the region. As a result, the fruit is concentrated and therefore offers richer flavours.
Black and red fruits fill the palate, along with heaps of spiciness and a long smoky finish. This is a real show stopping wine which is bound to go down a treat with guests. Food friendly yet also delicious on its own, this is a must for all lovers of red wine this Christmas.
First up for the whites is the Paul Hobbs Russian River Chardonnay. This top quality, award-winning Chardonnay produced by world renowned winemaker, Paul Hobbs, is the ultimate white wine pairing for your roast turkey on Christmas Day.
Made using handpicked grapes, this beautifully rich vino offers heaps of complexity on the palate, including flavours of baked pear and stone fruits, with hints of toasted almond and lime. This is an absolutely sensational Chardonnay that needs to be on everyone’s Christmas list.
If you are looking for something a little lighter and more aromatic, yet equally as satisfying, then the Pouilly Fumé Les Loges Pierre Marchand is a fine choice.
Clean and crisp, with flavours of gooseberry overlaid by a citrus nuance and distinct minerality, this wine is deliciously fresh, helping to cleanse the palate. If you’ll be enjoying a vegetarian Christmas dinner, this vegan wine is great choice. Although, equally enjoyable with a traditional roast too.
Another must-try this Christmas is the L’Ornato Bianco 2020. This blend of Garganega and Chardonnay is quite simply beautiful. Garganega is renowned for making exceptional white wines in Veneto, such as Soave, but by adding a small amount of Chardonnay, it takes this vino to a whole new level.
Produced using old vines, the Garganega adds a delicate flavour of apricot and rich stone fruit whilst the Chardonnay adds a zesty, mineral touch. Floral aromas on the nose marry up perfectly with the fruitiness on the palate, balanced beautifully with a fresh finish. This one’s ideal for your after dinner cheese board or even fish if you fancy a change from the classic meats enjoyed over Christmas.
Our Wine Buyers’ next pick is the Tenuta Olim Bauda Gavi di Gavi. With all the classic trademarks you would expect from Cortese, this wine is beautifully clean and crisp, with a gentle character.
Lemon and mineral notes are prominent on the nose, whilst persistent citrus notes come through on the palate, along with an overwhelming freshness and intensity. The citrus notes make this the perfect match for fruity desserts you might be serving up over the festive period, or even meats served with fruit sauce such as duck.
And finally, our Wine Buyers have finished with a Virgin Wines classic that’s absolutely perfect for the Christmas dinner table. The Black Pig The Prize Chardonnay is made from some of the highest quality grapes in the Adelaide Hills.
This oaky, buttery Chardonnay has the right balance of clean, bright citrus flavours, nestled against toasted nuts, followed by a long, smooth finish. Lusciously smooth and rich, this is the ultimate pairing for a classic roast turkey or roast chicken Christmas dinner.
