An expert taster has named the best red wines of 2025, with a Portuguese bottle among the top picks. The list, which spans budget to premium options, highlights wines with depth, warmth and structure ideal for hearty winter dishes.
Portugal's Les Pim Pam Pum stood out for its generous fruits and freshness. The Atlantic coastal influence gives the wine bright, cooling notes, with flavours of cherry, plum and earthiness, plus a hint of chalk and minerality. It is low in tannins, making it easy to drink, though the expert noted its natural style may not suit all palates.
The overall top pick was the 2017 Les Fiefs de Lagrange (£34.99, Selfridges.com), a Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Described as a spectacular example of Bordelais elegance, it offers graphite, berry and eucalyptus notes with soft oak.
Budget highlights include Aldi's Côtes du Rhône for under £10, praised as a robust red with black fruit flavours, and Tblivino Saperavi at £12. The expert also recommended Clos des Nines Cinso Loco from Languedoc, a vibrant, bubbly cinsault with ripe berry and dried fig flavours, and Gerard Bertrand's La Sauvageonne, a velvety wine with leather, smoke and tobacco notes.
