As the festive season approaches, many are seeking a dose of joy amidst economic pressures and gloomy weather. For Rosamund Hall, Christmas joy is found in simple pleasures: loved ones, tasty food, and a beautiful glass of wine. Her definitive guide for 2025 focuses purely on pleasure and value, offering a curated selection of bottles to ensure a sensational festive period, whether you're spending a tenner or treating yourself to something special.
Sparkling Sensations for Celebration
The festive table isn't complete without bubbles. Hall's sparkling recommendations offer superb quality across a range of price points. For a head-turning Champagne-method wine at £12, she highlights Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Blanc De Blancs Brut from France's Loire Valley, praising its honeyed nose, creamy vanilla, and elegant freshness.
Aldi's seasonal Veuve Monsigny Premier Cru Champagne (£22.99) is noted for delivering a premier-class experience at a standard price, with aromas of lemon and flavours of pear and toasted almonds. For a perfect party pour, South Africa's Cap Classique from Aldi at £9.99 offers fine bubbles and notes of lime and butter croissant.
Hall is a professed fangirl of The Wine Society's organic Cava Reserva Brut (£12.50), calling it approachable and made with great finesse. For a vintage champagne, the Co-op's Les Pionniers 2013 (£35.20), made by Piper and Charles Heidsieck, is described as effortlessly opulent.
Exceptional Whites and Rosés for the Festive Feast
Moving to still wines, the guide uncovers remarkable value. The Co-op's La Petite Laurette Du Midi Chenin Blanc 2024 (£8.85) from Limoux is highlighted for its chic profile of green apple and lemon-butter biscuits. For Sancerre lovers on a budget, M&S's Elegance Côteaux du Giennois 2023 (£12) provides a perfect switch with its citrus leanness and mineral finish.
Asda's Grüner Veltliner Exceptional 2024 (£8.12) is recommended as a great-value, invigorating white for parties or turkey pies. For those seeking discovery, Waitrose's Montonale Montunal Lugana 2024 (£18), made from the Turbiana grape, offers a beautiful alternative to Chablis or Albarino.
Hall also champions white Bordeaux as one of the most undervalued categories, pointing to the Co-op's organic Château Guiraud Blanc Sec 2023 (£19). For a sublime treat, Berry Bros' Chablis from Guillaume Michaut 2023 (£33) is a pitch-perfect, thought-provoking wine. She advocates for rosé all year round, suggesting Majestic's 11 Minutes Rosé 2022 (£17) for its depth and winter berry flavours.
Reds to Warm the Winter Nights
The red wine selection caters to every palate and purse. For an uncomplicated bargain, Morrison's Debat Royal Côtes-du-Rhône 2023 (£5.85) delivers super-fruity, medium-bodied drinking. Waitrose's Strelley Farm Pinot Noir 2024 (£15) from Tasmania offers an alluring, expressive fireside red.
Value highlights include Asda's Burdizzo Chianti Riserva 2021 (£7.07), which punches well above its weight, and the Co-op's Reserve de Capitoul 2022 (£9.50), which Hall wonders might be the best wine for around £10 currently available, calling it a benchmark southern French delight.
Special offers provide further opportunity, with Waitrose discounting Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Quincié 2024 to £10 and Croix des Coteaux Saint-Émilion 2022 to £10—the latter a wonderful roast accompaniment. For a festive Rioja, Ocado's Glorioso Reserva 2019 (£16.75) provides beautiful harmony for a feast.
Standout discoveries include the Co-op's Palazzo Maffei Valpolicella Ripasso 2021 (£12.75), which feels Amarone-esque at a quarter of the price, and The Wine Society's exceptional Filetta di Lamole Chianti Classico 2022 (£27) from Fontodi.
Decadent Dessert Wines and Fortified Finishes
No Christmas guide is complete without suggestions for sweet and fortified wines. Hall recommends Tesco's LBV Port 2019 (£14.50), made by Symington, as a sumptuous, warming glass. She laments the underrepresentation of Monbazillac in the UK, championing The Wine Society's Château Pech La Calevie 2022 (£14.95) as a Sauternes neighbour at a fraction of the price.
For a true indulgence, Graham's 20-year-old Tawny Port (from £40) delivers intense aromas of salted caramel and roasted nuts. A Unesco-recognised treasure, Disznoko Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2013 is discounted to £35 at Ocado, offering a heavenly, concentrated elixir. Finally, she affirms the great value of sherry, pointing to Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Oloroso (£9.75) as a vibrant fireside cheese plate accompaniment.
This comprehensive roundup, published on Sunday 7 December 2025, is designed to bring joy and excellent value to every festive gathering, from the main event to quiet moments of reflection.
