Ten high street wines to see you through to new year

Well, that wasn’t quite the Christmas Day most of us expected was it? Whether you spent it in a small, socially-distanced gathering, with just your immediate family, or raised a glass on Zoom to your loved ones, it cannot have been anything like normal for most of us. And writing these seasonal columns over the past few weeks, when everything that has been happening cuts across so many of the reasons for us to get together and enjoy fine food and wine has felt far from normal. But, but… however we consume it, wine is, at the very least, a consolation and a reminder of the sensual, pleasurable joys of life. And that’s what we must hang onto, isn’t it?

The period between Christmas Day and new year is often – for me at least – normally a glorious period, a more relaxing time after the rush of getting ready for Christmas Day and all that cooking. Boxing Day, today, can be a day for some simpler food and enjoying some leftovers, particularly this year of all years, when we are not allowed to have friends or family over, as many of us will have planned. So with our leftovers – of which we possibly have more than anticipated – we need some creative cooking and some wines to go with them and, thinking ahead, we need some sparkling wines to mark the end of a very difficult year on New Year’s Eve and perhaps some new hope for 2021. It’s highly unlikely that you will be able to get online deliveries this week, so what can we find in our high streets, and what seasonal discounts can we take advantage of?  

If you are in your local Waitrose, a good affordable red for that turkey risotto or curry is the Altos Las Hormigas Malbec (£11.99 normally £14.99,until 3 Jan; waitrose.com) which hits the spot admirably: medium-bodied, succulent and with that beguiling Malbec freshness. For game, whether it’s a simple pot roasted pheasant for two today or perhaps a mixed game casserole or pie for the family, then I’d always plump for a dependable rioja, such as the oaky, vanilla and robust red fruit flavours of the Cune Rioja Reserva 2016 (£13.99 or £9.99 if bought as part of as mixed six bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk; £13.49 waitrose.co.uk) or a big, rich amarone from Italy such as the Cantina Valpantena Amarone Della Valpolicella 2017 (£15.00 normally £18.00 until 3 Jan, M&S stores only) where the grapes are semi-dried to give concentration – you will find rich, plummy, figgy flavours here. And one for that last hunk of stilton, spread on toasted sourdough.

Now for some whites, perhaps for the leftover salmon or vegetable dishes. Firstly, here are a couple of excellent, good value bargains: the Yalumba Y Series Viognier  (£7.00 normally £8.50 until Jan 1 morrisons.com; £9.49 or £8.49 if bought as part of a mixed six bottle purchase majestic.com) a brilliant white from the Barossa Valley of Australia, full bodied, with ripe peach and apricot flavours and that distinctive dry honeyed hint. Excellent with soft cheeses or perhaps a little terrine with leftover pork. If sauvignon blanc is your thing, the brilliant Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (£8.00 sainsburys.co.uk; £9.50 coop.co.uk; £10.99 or £8.99 if bought as mixed six bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk) is typical Marlborough zesty grassiness and full of vibrant flavours of lime and grapefruit, absolutely guaranteed to revive a jaded post Christmas palate and lovely with any kind of vegetable or fish, particularly shellfish. Villa Maria has been a very popular name for  sauvignon blanc for many years but now their take on the northwestern Spanish favourite Albarino has arrived: Villa Maria Cellar Albarino 2018 (£14.99 or £11.99 if bought as part of mixed six bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk) from the Gisbourne region of New Zealand and very good it is too – fullish on the palate, aromatic on the nose, some interesting tangy flavours and a nice long finish.  

All the high street supermarkets of course have an excellent selection of the big name champagnes and sparkling wines, some at very decent discounts, all ready for New Year. Marks and Spencer’s have always been good at getting under the radar named champagnes which give excellent value for money, currently including the well priced Louis Vertay Champagne Brut (£15.00 normally £17.00 until Jan 3 M&S stores only) a solidly reliable bottle, made with chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, with lots of orchard fruit flavours and toasty bubbles

Everywhere you pay your money, you make your choice – so I’m suggesting two reliable performers at decent prices: for a simple bottle of prosecco for mixing with orange juice or that smoked salmon and scrambled eggs brunch today or tomorrow, the La Gioiosa Prosecco Superiore Milesimato Valdobbiadene (£9.99; normally £13.49 until Jan 3 waitrose.com) or for a real celebration of years end, there is a good discount on the exceptional English sparkling Nyetimber Classic Cuvee (£27.49 normally £36.99 until Jan 3 waitrose.com; £41.99 or £36.99 if bought as part of mixed six bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk) ethereal and sophisticated, a sense of spring hedgerows in the depths of winter. 

Finally, things have been grim this year and pretty much everyone will be glad to see the back of it and brace ourselves for whatever comes next, so let’s see the year out in style with a fabulous new English sparkling from the Hush Heath estate in Kent: The Balfour Les Sixes 2014 (£55.00 or £50 if bought as part of a mixed six bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk) is a mix of the classic champagne grapes and small amounts of two obscure rarities planted in the UK for the first time: arbanne and petite meslier, both of which used to sometimes feature in champagne blends in earlier eras. Aged on the lees for five years, the result is complex and intriguing, with biscuit, nutty, citrus flavours. Another great achievement for English sparkling and that is good enough reason on its own to celebrate, with one nervous eye on all our futures.