11 Supermarket Wines For Christmas Under £15
Red Wines
Viña del Cura Rioja Reserva DOC 2017, £9 | Tesco Finest
Country: Spain
This mellow red is mighty and marvellous; a reminder of the quality of Rioja, a region that I love for its class and reliability. Made from hand-harvested tempranillo grapes, it’s been aged in barrels with layers of oak and spice. The sumptuous, velvety feel makes it a perfect pairing for Christmas dinner. And for under a tenner? Just brilliant.
Pair It With: Roast beef or lamb if you don’t like turkey.
Available here
Chateau Capitoul 2020, £8.50 | Co-op
Country: France
This southern French wine from the Languedoc province has had a couple of years in bottle to soften and reveal its savoury depth, making it ideal to enjoy with a cheeseboard. Lavish and satisfying, this is an exclusive blend for Co-op, headlined by spicy syrah grapes for dynamic richness. You can tell the wine has been carefully blended as it’s so well balanced. Bring on the cheddar!
Pair It With: Hard cheeses or a few slivers of beef.
Available here
Canyon Springs Zinfandel 2019, £6.99 | Aldi
Country: USA
This red is a massive crowd-pleaser with its fruity flourish and bold impact. Made with expressive, ripe berries, it’s a brilliant bottle for an everyday kitchen-table red. It’s full flavoured and an easy option for Christmas guests.
Pair It With: A hearty lamb stew or leftover Christmas curry.
Available here
Colchagua Merlot 2020, £8 | Tesco Finest
Country: Chile
Chilean Merlot is a real gem in the world of vibrant red wine and, as the nights draw in, Tesco’s offering is a brilliant winter warmer for that portable fireside feeling. With dark, fruity notes and a twist of subtle spice, this is a hearty, scrumptious merlot that rivals more expensive options.
Pair It With: Meat pies and winter casseroles.
Available here
White Wines
The Wine Atlas Feteasca Regala NV, £5 | Asda
Country: Romania
Delicate and delicious as a summer peach, this is one of the best value white wines on the market right now. With stone fruit and citrus flavours, it’s wonderfully refreshing and can handle everything from casual sipping to spicy dishes. For the price, it’s stunning – you won’t find better on the UK shelves at this price.
Pair It With: Spiced chutneys or a mild curry made with turkey leftovers.
Available here
La Raia ‘Il Borgo’ Organic Gavi 2021, from £14.99 | Majestic
Country: Italy
A bit of a treat here – this fleshy delight from Italy has bags of finesse. Hints of peach and almond transport you to the vibrant vineyards where these grapes are grown organically. A great example of Italy’s biodynamic wines, it’s an excellent, zingy aperitif. Gavi is a classic and this one deserves all the attention.
Pair It With: Light starters or shellfish. Also great with a smoked salmon starter on Christmas Day.
Available here
Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2021, £8.50 | Sainsbury's
Country: Australia
This is an absolute steal. From the masters of Viognier Down Under, it’s got all the peach-skin, honeysuckle fragrance you’d hope for and more. This fermented wine has a certain apricot vitality and silkiness that gives a real sense of summer in a bottle. In the depth of winter, it’s exactly what I want with spicy dishes. From one of the world’s best Viognier wineries, you can catch a glimpse of world-class wine for under ten quid.
Pair It With: Spicy starters or an Asian platter with your Boxing Day spread. It’s also excellent with seasonal roasted veg.
Available here
Bon Afrique South African Clairette Blanche 2021, £8.99 | Aldi
Country: South Africa
Clairette blanche may be a grape that hasn’t found its way into your trolley yet, but its mandarin aromas and tropical flavours shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re a fan of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll get along with this exotic, refreshing and fruity wine. It’s a hidden gem that’s set to become a bit of an icon. Discover it before the rest of the world does…
Pair It With: I’d happily drink this on its own, but lots of precision and minerality elevates canapés or shellfish dishes.
Available here
Sparkling Wines
Comte de Senneval Champagne Brut, £13.99 | Lidl
Country: France
This fizz is ridiculously good value, gently foaming with all the class of a truly great champagne and rounded almond subtlety. Some budget champagne reminds me of angry water with furious bubbles. Not this one; it has refined citrus and biscuity flavours with a dry finish. One of the best value bottles on this list.
Pair It With: Cheese straws.
Available here
Étoile de Timberlay Crémant de Bordeaux Brut NV, £10 | M&S
Country: France
The sausage rolls are hot, the cheese straws are out, guests are about to arrive, and this fruity bubbly is waiting in the fridge. I’m keen on crémant for Christmas party fizz if you don’t fancy champagne. It has lovely brioche and apple flavours, and tastes pricier than it is. A real crowd-pleaser.
Pair It With: Sausage rolls or festive fish dishes like salmon en croute.
Available here
M&S Alcohol Free Fizzero Rosé, £4.50 | Ocado
Country: N/A
Most alcohol-free wine is about as satisfying as stagnant pond water – this one’s different. Fruity and plush, it’s a fizz that tastes great ice cold from the fridge. With light flavours of raspberry and strawberry, it’s made using a special fermentation process, so it tastes grown up and not like a soft drink. Decent fun flavours without splashing out.
Pair It With: Nibbles or smoked salmon.
Available here
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