12 Wines of Christmas
Our 12 Wines of Christmas
It can be daunting picking what wines to enjoy over the Festive Season. It can be a time to treat yourself and try something new, or go for an elevated version of your usual favourites. For some Christmas means Champagne, for others, it’s all about great value options to save budget for other things!
Whatever your wine needs are this Christmas, we can help you find them. As a place to start, we have compiled our “12 Wines of Christmas“, four favourites from each of us at Cockburns: Peigidh, Andy and James.
For more help and advice, don’t hesitiate to contact us!
1: Chambelle & Co. NV
“My sparkling choice this Christmas is Chambelle & Co. NV! Christmas is always the time of year that my grandparents find out the Champagne they’ve bought throughout the year and squirrelled away, but for a more affordable alternative, this crémant is absolutely excellent. It is made in the traditional method, and has been a faithful and fantastic go-to throughout my time working here, a favourite among our team and those who have tried it at one of our tastings. Looking forward to having some on Christmas day! (Maybe even with a splash of the Tayport Raspberry Liqueur, another absolute favourite)” – Peigidh
Chambelle & Co NV, Lebrin Vins Libre, Loire, France, 12% – £17.99
2: Hunter’s Sauvignon Blanc
“I decided to keep it simple and go for what I have actually bought for Christmas this year, which is the Hunter’s Sauvignon Blanc! It’s the perfect expression of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, from the family who pioneered the wine in Marlborough. It’s always good value at £15.99, but it’s been in our Black Friday Sale at £11.99 which is even better! We have always gravitated towards Sauvignon Blanc in my family, and while it’s been amazing going on a wine education journey at Cockburns, it’s also nice to go back to the classics sometimes.” – Peigidh
Hunter’s Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Marlborough, New Zealand, 11.8% – £15.99
3: Odd Lot Pinot Noir
“You can’t always judge a book by it’s cover, or a wine by it’s label, but I do love when wines get a bit creative with their packaging. We were drawn to this wine at a tasting in January because of it’s unique design, and then added it to our shelves because the wine is fantastic too! The ideal Christmas wine that’s super juicy and not too heavy, but can still hold up against all the rich flavours of your meal.” – Peigidh
4: Orange Winzer Krems
“Orange/skin contact wine has really been having a moment recently, and I’ve definitely found myself reaching for it more. We have quite a few in store now, but I really love this Orange by Winzer Krems. Another affordable gem in a beautiful Alsace bottle, it is a refreshing orange wine made from Grüner Veltliner grapes. Great all year round, but I think its fruity and spicy notes make it the ideal Christmas wine.” – Peigidh
5: Joseph Perrier Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs NV
“This year I got to visit Joseph Perrier in Chalon Champagne and experience their wonderful hospitality and taste their exquisite range of Champagnes. I have a soft spot for JP, so my choice is their Blanc de Blancs. It is a fantastic aperitif, crisp, fresh citrus notes with fine structure. Perfect to toast at Christmas!” – Andy
Joseph Perrier Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs NV, France, 12% – £53.99
6: Sancerre Blanc, Domaine Berthier 2022
“Domaine Berthier is a lovely producer, and their Sancerre is an elevated alternative to a classic Sauvignon Blanc wine. Christmas is the time to have elevated versions of your favourite wines, and the Domaine Berthier Sancerre is a definite festive favourite.” – Andy
Sancerre Blanc, Domaine Berthier 2022, Loire France, 13% – £25.99
7: Amarone della Valpolicella, Santi 2018
“Santi Amarone della Valpolicella is a classic Christmas wine. Rich, concentrated and spiced with smooth supple tannins and a silky texture. It goes down a treat: perfect to drink while roasting chestnuts at the fire.” – Andy
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Santigo, Santi 2018, Veneto Italy, 16% – £34.99
8: Grüner Veltliner Eiswein
“This lusciouslysweet Grüner Veltliner has a freshness and fruitiness that makes it the perfect wine to end a celebratory dinner with. A little goes a long way!” – Andy
Grüner Veltliner Eiswein, Stift Kloster Neuburg, Lower Austria, 9.5% – £24.99
9: Henriet Bazin Champagne
“This wine is made from all Premier Cru grapes, grown on the chalk-laden soils of Montagne de Reims. Very small, family owned producer, this wine is expertly crafted by Marie-Noel. I love the transparency on the back of the bottle, it tells you the makeup of the wine. It’s a non vintage Champagne but it’s made of 70% 2020 vintage, and 30% reserve wines from the family Solera, dating back from 1968-2019. What you get from that mix is a great balance of freshness from the 2020 vintage, and depth of flavour from the reserve wine. It’s extra-brut, there’s only 5g/l of sugar, so it’s a really fresh aperatif style of Champagne. Decadent, delicious and delightful.” – James
Henriet Bazin, Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru NV, Champagne France, 12.5% – £42.99
10: Gerard Thomas Saint-Aubin
“I always think of Saint-Aubin as a good alternative to Meursault at less than half the price. Gerard Thomas vineyards border Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, to the West of the village of Saint-Aubin. To me, it draws a lot of similarities between the richness of Meursault and the elegance of Puligny Montrachet. It’s drinking very well just now, with a little bit of richness from the new oak, but still a youthful freshness. Citrus notes, minerality from the soil, structured, long finish – it’s everything a good Burgundy should be.” – James
Gerard Thomas Saint-Aubin Champ Tirant 2022, Burgundy France, 12.5% – £35.99