Festive value buys: Christmas wines under £20

A fruity and vibrant fizz, perfect for Christmas celebrations. Made in the Champagne method, this is crisp and fresh with touches of toasted brioche, citrus flavours and fine, persistent bubbles on the palate. Great as an aperitif.

Philizot et Fils, which also makes Aldi's superbly priced Veuve Monsigny Brut NV, has come out with another Champagne that punches well above its weight in this very elegant Pinot Noir-Meunier blend. Juicy red apple and berry fruitiness joins crisp apple acidity and creamy, nutty autolytic notes. It comes in a gift box, so perfect for Christmas – if you don't pop it open yourself first.

Glera and Bianchetta Trevigiana from the rolling hills of the Asolo DOCG. Appley and ever so slightly nutty and creamy aromas are followed by a rich vein of pear, apple and soft stone fruit flavours. The softness is accentuated by some creaminess. Drink with canapés.

The Wine Society has been buying wine from this estate since 1995, and this Mâcon is popular with members – with good reason. It's unoaked, but the wine sits on the lees until the early summer following the harvest, when it is bottled. The new release is super-delicious, juicy but fresh, despite the warm vintage. Baked apple flavours linger on. Great value.

Made from some of the oldest Riesling vines in New Zealand, this is a fantastic wine, complex and characterful. Typical stone and petrol notes combine on the nose with the palate offering a rich and sumptuous texture and depth of flavour. This is juicy and mouthwatering but also full-bodied, with powerful flavours of sweet pineapple, peach, orange zest, mango and melon.

The Tesco Finest Western Australian reds and whites, as well as the Mad Fish, Tingleup and this label are all brilliantly made by Howard Park. This Chardonnay shows real complexity and structure, with restrained green apple compote, flint, grapefruit and lime zest flavours allied to subtle oak spice.

This classy Bordeaux white is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, and proves that this grape variety can age. With 10 months in French oak (35% new), it's smoky with crisp tangy fruit, a lemon curd zip to it, and a good weight in the mouth.

Enticing nose of honeyed stone fruit, preserved lemon, lime and herbs. Lees ageing gives a full, creamy texture, balanced by a stony minerality. Fresh, citrus palate of yellow grapefruit, lemon and lime, with laser-focused acidity that persists through the super-crisp finish of grapefruit pith and freshly cut lemon. Great with fish and seafood.

A beautifully structured wine with lots of new-oak framework, but whose toasty nutmeg spice notes don't overwhelm. Lees stirring lends a creamy texture to the bold palate of buttery apples and ripe stone fruit, but citrus zest acidity gives great drive and focus. Complex and ageworthy.

A classic South African style, from unirrigated 38-year-old vines planted in rocky soils. Part-fermented and matured in oak casks, it has intense quince and peach aromas, quite rich and creamy but with refinement. A good alternative to Chardonnay for those looking to try something new.

<p>While Decanter readers are familiar with the delights of Assyrtiko, this wine was highlighted – along with a Brazillian Chardonnay – as one of the esoteric new wines to join the Aldi range. Regardless of how well you know the grape, this is a great buy: lean, dry and crisp, packed with tart but juicy citrus fruit and a flinty mineral seam. Only available online.</p>

If you have a Sauvignon Blanc lover in the house, this is a great-value option. It's not in your face with biting acidity or tropical sweetness, but has a creamy, soft palate of passion fruit curd, fresh orange juice and confit lemon flavours. Simple but enjoyable.

A relatively reserved nose of elderflower, green apple and peach. Saline citrus, apricot and yellow apple on the textured palate, with salivating acidity to balance and a depth of dried apricot, which carries to the finish. A solid, balanced white wine, made in partnership with Citra Vini from Abruzzo. The name of the grape Pecorino came from the Pecora sheep grazing in the region's vineyards.

Château Suduiraut dates back to the 15th century and is a well-respected name in Sauternes. The 2011 vintage produced opulent, very precise wines; this half-bottle has vibrancy and freshness to balance the rich apricot and citrus aromas and flavours. It's delicious with fruit-based desserts, but also try it as an aperitif, or with chicken liver paté.

Noble One, a botrytised Semillon, is Australia's most awarded sweet wine; a half-bottle will set you back at least £20. This is also made by De Bortoli and in the same style: lemon sherbet bonbons, candied peel and marmalade notes on an unctuous palate, with bristling acid freshness.

Made for M&S by top Sherry producer Emilio Lustau, this is a great buy to add to the shopping cart (it is currently only available at Ocado) and enjoy chilled, either before a meal or with cheese afterwards. Palo cortado sits between an amontillado and oloroso in style – tasting dry but rich in flavours of orange peel, currants, toasted nuts and sweet spices.