Christmas marks the time of year when marketing hype goes into overdrive, encouraging us all to part with our hard-earned cash for everything from the latest kids’ toys to wifi-enabled washing machines..
For many of us, it’s the one occasion every year we will spend above our comfort zone on a few bottles of wine. But there’s no need to break the bank: despite rising supply chain and duty costs, it’s still possible to pick up some delicious, Christmas-worthy wines for under £15.
The selection below covers a wide selection of regions and styles, which will pair perfectly with turkey, duck, beef, vegetarian options, or even boxing day leftovers.
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Christmas red wine recommendations under £15/$20
Red wine for Christmas: things to know
Avoid big tannins
Unless you’re serving beef, it’s perhaps best to save your tannic reds (think young Bordeaux, Barolo, Napa Cabernet) for another time. You’ll find that the intense flavours, punchy spices and fattiness of traditional Christmas fare does not play nicely with tannins, and the result will be an astringent mouthful.
Instead, pick out a red with softer tannins such as a Rioja Gran Reserva, Chianti Classico, Pinot Noir, or a mature vintage of Bordeaux or Barolo.
Serve cool
One of the most common mistakes when serving reds is to pour them too warm, perhaps based on the misnomer that ‘room temperature’ is ok – except these days, most of us have central heating and houses are much warmer than when this advice first circulated. If served too warm, red wines can seem ‘flabby’ and lacking in energy. Instead, aim to serve light- to medium-bodied reds at 12-16°C (54-61°F), and fuller bodied reds at 15-18°C (59-65°F). They’ll warm up once in the glass anyway.
Don’t be misled by marketing tricks
As tempting as it can be, don’t fall for snazzy labels, heavy bottles and deep punts. They’re all marketing tricks to make a wine seem more premium than it is. Instead, home in on wines from a region or made from a grape variety that you know you like, and ideally find a winery that makes wines you’ve enjoyed in the past.
Buy ‘in the middle’
The cheapest wines are a false economy, as most of the price covers packaging, shipping and duty costs with very little left for the wine in the bottle.
Equally, once you get into premium territory you’re not always just paying for better wine – while the price will cover the cost of better production, such as high quality oak barrels, you might also be paying for the prestige of the winery or the region (think Champagne), or for buying a much more limited product (the law of supply and demand…).
The optimal value-for-money window is somewhere between around £10 and £25, and below £15 you’re in bargain territory if you shop carefully.
There are resources available to help you
You can, of course, search for reviews and recommendations on decanter.com. And we strongly recommend asking your local wine merchant for guidance. They may even have some samples open for you to taste!
