Independent Christmas Food & Drink Special

Best party budget red

2007 Torre del Falco Nero di Troia, Puglia, Italy

This distinctively bright and spicy and rosso made from Puglia’s Nero di Troia grape shows a sweetly juicy dark berry fruit quality with a sinewy feel and vivid freshness. £4.99, down from £7.99, until 6 December, Waitrose.

Best party red

2010 Viñalba Cabernet Malbec Merlot

Fresh berry aromas combining with oodles of lavishly upholstered blackcurrant fruit and smooth, ripe chocolatey tannins are among the hallmarks of this ultra-modern, opulent Bordeaux-challenging blend in Argentina. Enjoyable on its own or with meaty morsels. £9.99, Sainsbury’s.

Best party budget white

2010 Taste the Difference Verdicchio Classico dei Castelli di Jesi

There’s a floral note to this dry Italian white from near Ancona in the Marche, a lively spritz and the under-tongue crunch of crisp appley fruit with a citrusy twist to the aftertaste. £5.99, Sainsbury’s.

Best party white

2010 Mâcon Villages Uchizy

A touch of aromatic spice complements the intense richly peachy chardonnay fruit quality of this full-flavoured and skillfully crafted chardonnay, a versatile dry white Burgundy that’s equally at home with chicken, fish or vegetarian dishes. £9.99, Marks & Spencer

Best for canapés

Under a Tenner

2010 Corvina, Veronese IGT

Vividly cherry scented with just the sort of supple texture and crisp nip of tannin and freshness behind the bright cherryish fruit that makes a good old spagbol valpol (by another name) a must for finger foods. £7.99, Marks & Spencer

Splash Out

González Byass Fino Dos Palmas

One of González Byass’ four stunning new limited edition sherries, this eight-year-old fino is smoky, intensely nutty and moreishly bone dry, finishing with a savoury sea-salty tang. Around £16.95, half litre, Lea & Sandeman, Flagship Wines, Harvey Nichols, SH Jones.

Best for smoked salmon

Under a Tenner

2010 Contesa Pecorino Colline Pescaresi

There’s nothing sheepish about this scented dry white from the Adriatic whose lively herbal character boasts a prickle on the tongue and mouthwateringly peachy fruit flavours finishing with a zesty flourish. £9.50 - 9.99, The Wine Society, Marks & Spencer.

Splash Out

2008 AC Chablis Premier Cru, Mont de Milieu Sainte Céline

The inviting depth and with richly concentrated fruitiness is defined as much by the ripe appley qualities of the chardonnay grape as the flinty, mineral dry character from its location in northern Burgundy. £16.99, Sainsbury’s

Best for fish

Under a Tenner

2010 Plantagenet Samson’s Range Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon

Grapefruity aromatics combine with juicy zesty fresh, subtle citrus fruit flavours, softness of texture and a tongue-tingling dry finish in this, well-balanced distinctively Western Australian take on the Bordeaux-style blend. £6.99, down from £8.99 until 6 December, Waitrose.

Splash Out

2008 Chassagne Montrachet Blanc, Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot

This luxurious, superbly crafted dry white Burgundy balances exotically opulent ripeness with a seductively complex richness of chardonnay fruit enlivened by taut crisp acidity and a nutty, dry mineral finish. £25.95, Lea & Sandeman shops, London.

Best for turkey or chicken

Under a Tenner

2010 Morellino di Scansano, Poggioargentiera

Classis morellino, or sangiovese of the little cherry variety that’s a little off the beaten chianti track, displaying the authentic Tuscan hallmark of bright sour cherry fruit concentration balanced by a herby, savoury acidity. £11.99, buy 2 = £8.99, Majestic.

Splash Out

1995 Château Les Ormes de Pez, St-Estèphe

A teenager but no pimples on this classic St-Estèphe claret, which boasts a rich core of cassis fruit underscored by succulent vanilla, all the while retaining a freshness behind its seductively mellow fruit quality. A treat. £35, Majestic.

Best for goose and game

Under a Tenner

2008 Extra Special Crozes Hermitage France

Displaying classic Crozes-Hermitage elegance with the aromatic tar and smoky-scentedness of true northern Rhône syrah linked to the spicy white pepper purity of the grape, this is irresistibly priced at £6.50 , down from £8.17, until 5 December, Asda.

Splash Out

2009 Volnay, Domaine Roux

The captivating fraise du bois fragrance of this classic red Burgundy sits behind a sweetly ripe loganberry fruitiness, whose silky opulence, subtle oak and freshness link arms in a hedonistic, youthfully irresistible mouthful of fine pinot noir. £20, Marks & Spencer.

Best for gammon

Under a Tenner

2010 Ramos Reserva, Alentejo, Portugal

Looking pricier than it is, this typical southern Portuguese blend from João Portugal Ramos tastes more expensive too, with spicy aromatics and bright, bold flavours of dark berry fruits refreshed by a damsony bite. £8.99, buy 2 = £6.99, Majestic.

Splash Out

2006 Côte Rôtie, Romain & Joel Champet

All the peppery quality and sheer clarity of northern Rhône syrah you desire, with a textural, spicy fruit quality and savoury spine of acidity designed to offset gammon, or honey roast ham. £25.75, Yapp Bros, Mere, Wilts. www.Yapp.co.uk.

Best for vegetarian dishes

Under a Tenner

2006 Morrisons The Best Rioja Reserva, Castillo de Fuenmayor

From an excellent vintage, maturing nicely now after five years, the strawberryish fruitiness in this tempranillo-based tinto is tinged with vanilla oak and an underlying gamey character supported by satisfyingly mellow tannins. £9.49, Morrisons

Splash Out

2007 Nero D’Avola di Sicilia

Made from Sicily’s signature grape variety, the concentrated black cherry and blackberry fruitiness of the nero d’avola is leavened by spicy, chocolatey notes and etched with succulently juicy tannins and lively balancing freshness. Fabulous stuff. £11.99, Marks & Spencer.

Best for Xmas pudding

Under a Tenner

Seriously Plummy Grande Réserve NV Maury Vin Doux Naturel, France

This aptly-named fortified sweet wine from the Roussillon hills is porty, sweet and rich thanks to a viscosity of texture and the rich damson plum flavours of spicy, smooth as silk, old vine Grenache. £9.99, Waitrose.

Splash Out

Yalumba Museum Muscat

From Yalumba’s Hill-Smith family, this is aromatically floral with liquid rich butterscotch¬-sweet, dried fruits flavours and a fine balancing blade of acidity; while it has the richness of an aged tawny port, it’s a uniquely original Australian style. £11.99, half-bottle, Morrisons.

Best for mince pies

Under a Tenner

2010 Taste the Difference Brachetto d ‘Acqui DOCG

Made from the Brachetto grape from vineyards owned by members of the Araldica co-operative, this pinky red, gentle Italian sparkler boasts a sweet muscaty fragrance and the ideal spicy strawberry cup juiciness to complement mince pies. Sainsbury’s, £5.99.

Splash Out

Waitrose Brut NV Champagne

Showing biscuity aromatic notes, this full-flavoured, appley blend of two-thirds pinot noir, one third chardonnay and pinot meunier is underpinned by a creamy, toasty rich mousse of bubbles and rich but tangy aftertaste. £15.99 , down from £19.99, until 6 December, Waitrose.

Best for Stilton

Under a Tenner

2010 Rustenberg Straw Wine, Coastal Region, South Africa

Intense, orange-scented Cape sweetie oozing lusciously fresh zesty orange, apricot and tangerine fruitiness balanced by zesty acidity, this Cape blend of viognier, chenin blanc and crouchen is a knockout, not least at £12.49, buy 2 = £9.99, Majestic.

Splash Out

Quinta do Noval 20 Year Old Tawny

With its complex prune and walnut aromas, this decadent liquid fruit and nut cake in a bottle has a mature, spicy edge to it balanced by vivid freshness; partner with Stilton or a Beenleigh or Harbourne Blue. £20.79, Tesco.

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