Great weekend wines – festive edition
Wanting to splash out a little bit more to celebrate the festive season in style? Our team has selected a line up of standout bottles to enjoy, delight and impress over the festive season.
If you’re considering spending – or rather, investing – in a few more expensive bottles for all the celebrations ahead, look no further. We’ve rounded up a selection of 16 standout pours that will surely impress guests, make great conversation starters and ease all lockdown tensions.
They also make great and thoughtful gifts!
The list below includes a must-try fizz, a white and red Burgundy, two Margaux reds including one in magnum and a Napa Valley Petite Syrah. Plus, there’s a Madeira and Port pick too.
Priced between £20/$25 and £65/$85, this is a companion selection to our 25 wines under £20/$25 and a great starting point to spicing up your Christmas cellar.
See Decanter’s selection of great wines for the festive season
Read next:
Wine with lamb: Great styles to try
Wine with turkey: A food pairing guide
Best wine books: Latest releases to read
Ayala, Brut Majeur Extra Age, Champagne, France
94
Benefitting from an additional 12 months ageing, this is a step-up from the already impressive Ayala Brut. Bruised apple and ripe pear are at the fore given life by fine and energetic bubbles. This is soft and delicate but seriously refreshing and quaffable. A must-try.
Ayala
Domaine Carneros, Brut, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2016
From Champagne Taittinger's Napa Valley estate, this elegant sparkler is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with 2% Pinot Gris. Pretty nose of delicate...
2016
Domaine CarnerosNapa Valley
Checkmate, Attack Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2015
93
This small-lot wine – from an estate in the same portfolio as Mission Hill – sees lees stirring and 16 months' ageing in two foudres, 50% new. It's delicate yet concentrated with real wet-stone salinity and excellent acid drive, packed with ripe Asian pears, honeydew melon and deft oak spicing.
2015
CheckmateOkanagan Valley
Anthony Girard, Chêne Fourchu, Sancerre, Loire, France, 2018
An aromatic and expressive nose, floral and fruity, perfumed with elderflower, kiwi and apricot. This is full-bodied, rich and plush with generous and concentrated flavours...
2018
Anthony GirardSancerre
Olivier Leflaive, St-Aubin, 1er Cru Dents de Chien, Burgundy, France, 2017
A gorgeous nose of buttery lemon, orange zest, honeysuckle, vanilla and melon notes. The texture is crisp and refreshing, crystalline, mouthwatering and vibrant with round...
2017
Olivier LeflaiveSt-Aubin
Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2020
Classic, pungent, herbaceous bouquet of pink grapefruit, tropical fruit, apple and fresh herbs. Equally urgent on the palate, with high acidity and flavours of passion...
2020
Cloudy Bay
K Martini & Sohn, Alte Reben Weissburgunder, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2017
From one of the most northerly vineyard areas in Italy, this needs to be tried. Aromas of peach, lime, beeswax and white flowers lead to...
2017
K Martini & Sohn
Mountain Tides Wine Co, Petite Sirah, Napa Valley, California, USA, 2018
A great-priced wine from Californian Petite Sirah specialists Scott Kirkpatrick and Allison Watkins. Candied blackcurrants, plums and cherries on the nose, fruit-forward and immediately inviting....
2018
Mountain Tides Wine CoNapa Valley
Castello di Volpaia, Coltassala Riserva, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy, 2018
A blend of 95% Sangiovese with 5% Mammolo from a warm vintage in Radda in Chianti. Spicy autumnal black fruit on the nose with cherries...
2018
Castello di VolpaiaChianti Classico
Pinuaga, 200 Cepas, Castilla y Léon, Spain, 2015
Made in small quantities from Pinuaga’s 200 oldest vines (65 years). Aged in American and French oak for 14 months, with another 18 months in...
2015
Pinuaga
Château Angludet, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2012
Magnums always have a wow factor, and here the quality of what's inside will ensure that opening it isn't an anticlimax. This will be a...
2012
Château AngludetMargaux
Domaine Clos Salomon, Givry, 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
A terrible frost halved the crop for this wine in 2017, but the producer kept the price the same, barely covering his costs. It's delicious,...
2017
Domaine Clos SalomonGivry
Corney & Barrow, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2016
Heady and seductive, this Margaux comes from the highly respected Sichel family, winemakers and négociants in Bordeaux. It's a vivid purple colour in the glass...
2016
Corney & BarrowMargaux
Blandy’s, Malmsey Colheita, Madeira, Portugal, 1999
This was bottled in 2015, with 130g/L residual sugar. It's as fresh as a daisy, with gorgeous salty sweetness, coffee and candied fruit notes. Full-bodied,...
1999
Blandy’s
Taylor's, Quinta de Vargellas, Port, Douro Valley, Portugal, 2017
From a year of severe drought in the Douro, this single-quinta Port is drinking beautifully now, and will last another decade. It’s gently fragrant with...
2017
Taylor'sPort
