Christmas Wine Bargains

Well Christmas is almost upon us and with expert timing the good people at Threshers - and Wine Rack come to that - are offering us a gift in the shape of a 40% discount voucher…how kind! Right now in store you can get any bottle of wine or Champagne with 40% off simply by presenting the discount code (you can get yours by clicking here until 9th December 2007). But what I hear you ask should you look for when you get inside? Well to help you make the most of this bout of good will generosity, I've taken a long hard look at their list and come up with the following Christmas crackers. Prices are given after the discount.

First up, fizz! No Christmas is complete without a bottle or two of pop, and from the list I've spotted two little crackers that are well worth a look. The first is the Cava X. Cava's come a long way in the last few years, and the oxidized, somewhat bitter wines of yesteryear have been replaced by fresh tasting examples such as this, which offer apple and melon fruit with a touch of yeastiness. Perfect as an aperitif or as a great fun party fizz at just £3.59 you can afford to splash out! Fizz at the other end of the scale comes in the shape of the superb Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne (Wine Rack £25.20). A long time love of mine, this classically proportioned wine delivers masses of ripe peach and pear fruit, touches of vanilla and a gloriously biscuity finish. One for New Year's celebrations perhaps.

If you're looking for something to partner the turkey, then Threshers have a couple of whites that are just the ticket. New Zealand's Vidal Sauvignon Blanc (£4.79) has all the mouthwatering gooseberry and citrus fruit to balance the dryness of the white meat, whilst its sheer power enables it to take on the brown meat with ease. Of course Christmas is the time for splashing out and if you're looking to push the boat out then why not try the Chablis 1er Cru (£12.59). Premier Cru Chablis is more than a cut above the normal village wines; it's a completely different bottle. With this you're getting Chablis as it should be. With its steely, complex bouquet of green apples, citrus and gloriously full palate of mineral tinted white fruits this is a wine that needs nothing more than a light chilling before being savoured in the best of company.

But enough of whites, what of the reds? Well kicking things off is another French classic, the Domaine XXXX Châteauneuf du Pape Domaine Juame (£14.39). Châteauneuf, that stony region in the France’s southern Rhône, has enjoyed a remarkable run of vintages in the last few years but none so fine as 2005 and this shines through this monster of a wine. Inky black-red in colour, the nose is all dried black fruits, spices, vanilla and cherries, all of which flow through to the palate to deliver a mouth filling wine that has been designed to partner the heartiest of red meats and strongest of cheeses.

At the other end of the price scale, from the other side of the world but using similar grapes to a similarly jolly end is the St Hallett's Gamekeeper's Reserve (£4.79). St Hallet's wines are amongst my favourite of all Aussies as they combine power with poise. Not for these guys' wines that are all hot alcohol and over extraction, St Hallet's have real complexity and balance. This for example delivers a land train load of blackcurrant, raspberry and cherry fruit, but its tantalizing raspberry acidity ensures it feels elegant and refined - just the thing for pairing with the stilton.

Last, but by no means least, I'll finish with a wine that never fails to please, the Campo Viejo Reserva 2001 (£6.29). 2001 was blisteringly good for Rioja and Campo Viejo took full advantage. Boasting succulent raspberry, red cherry and strawberry fruit, lashings of creamy vanilla, sweet spice and traces of herbs on the finish, this is a wine to buy by case at this price. And don't worry if you don't finish it before Christmas as this is one wine that will improve for at least another five years or so - not that it's got much chance of lasting that long in my house!

More soon!

Theo.

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