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Christmas is an indulgent time of year when many of us tuck into decadent food without apology, and toast the festive season by opening our very best bottles of wine.
If you’re a wine lover, there’s a good chance you’re already thinking about which bottles you should serve this Christmas – and perhaps you’re also thinking of gifting a bottle of fine wine to your wine-enthusiast friends.
When it comes to wine – and Christmas! – there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Which wines you drink at Christmas are often dictated by what you’re eating for dinner, as well as the occasion. So, whether you’re looking for a wine that’ll go with a traditional dinner, is perfect for toasting, or makes the perfect present for a connoisseur, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve partnered with The Wine Society, the world’s oldest member-owned community of wine lovers, to help make your Christmas buying that bit easier. And by joining The Society for a £40 one-fee, you can access high-quality wines at low prices for life. Plus, you’ll also get £20 off your first wine order.
So, to help get you inspired, here are seven Christmas wines to serve and gift in 2023.
1. The Society's Chilean Pinot Noir, £8.95
If you’re looking for an excellent all-around bottle that’s just as delicious with a three-course meal as it is with a cold buffet – and also good enough to be given as a gift – this Chilean Pinot Noir is a wise choice.
Producer, Viña Undurraga, grows grapes in Leyda Valley vineyards, just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean, and the rolling hills here are perfect for producing concentrated pinot noir.
The end result is a medium-bodied, black-cherry fragranced wine that contains notes of vanilla and boasts a bright, silky palate.
This wine pairs well with roast chicken, turkey, and guinea fowl as well as cold meats and ham, making it the ideal wine to open on Christmas Day and finish off when you’re nibbling at cold Boxing Day leftovers.
The Society’s Chilean Pinot Noir also complements mushroom and beetroot, so it will go well with many vegetarian Christmas mains too.
2. The Society's Australian Shiraz 2021, £8.95
If you prefer a more robust, full-bodied red, this Australian Shiraz is ideal.
Produced in South Australia’s historic Bleasdale vineyards, this is an exceptionally vibrant, bold, generous, and fruity wine, with delicious notes of black cherry, blueberry, and blackberry. Given that 2021 was known to be one of the most outstanding vintages, this may be the best-ever release of this sensational Shiraz.
If you’re forgoing traditional turkey or chicken for Christmas, this Australian Shiraz will be a welcome addition to your table. It pairs beautifully with beef, as well as winged game like grouse, pigeon, and partridge.
It’s also the perfect accompaniment to hearty dishes like shepherd’s pie, steak and kidney pudding, stews and casseroles, and sausages and mash – so if you don’t drink it at Christmas, it’ll be just as delicious later in winter too!
3. Bordeaux 2015 and 2016 Case, £250
More of a fan of Bordeaux wines? Or hoping to impress your guests with some top-quality vintages?
This six-bottle case ticks both boxes. 2015 and 2016 are known as fine vintages that produced wines of structure and depth – and this case allows you to try six different bottles, getting a real taste of all that Bordeaux has to offer. Bordeaux also pairs well with poultry, so it’s ideal for Christmas dinner.
The first bottle, Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe 2015, is a blend of 54% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, and equal parts petit verdot and cabernet franc, and it has a lovely layered fruit texture, as well as sinewy tannins. The second bottle is Château Brane-Cantenac, Margaux 2015, a suave wine that’s fresh and succulent.
The Château Langoa Barton, Saint-Julien 2015, is a harmonious wine with a perfumed nose, notes of violets and bright fruit, and a high density on the palate. The Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac 2016, is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (83%) with 17% merlot, and it has a beautiful creamy texture, with a savoury dark fruit character on the palate.
The fifth bottle is Murmure de Larcis Ducasse, Saint-Emilion 2016, a vibrant and seductive wine that’s 92% merlot and 8% cabernet franc, which is then aged for 16 months in French oak barrels. The sixth and final bottle is Château Montlandrie, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2016, a warm, generous and polished wine that’s 75% merlot, 20% cabernet franc, and 5% cabernet sauvignon.
4. Beaujolais Case, £67
If you’re looking for a case of red but you’re on more of a budget, this case of six Beaujolais is a great choice. Because Beaujolais is so versatile when it comes to food pairings, it’s the ideal case for Christmas.
Most versions go with charcuterie, and cheeses like Camembert and Brie. Meanwhile, lighter Beaujolais pairs with cold ham, turkey, and chicken; and more mature Beaujolais goes well with roast chicken, guinea fowl, duck, or partridge.
The first wine – Beaujolais-Villages Cuvée Annie, Jacques Dépagneux 2020 – is a well-balanced and fresh Beaujolais with crunchy red-fruit character, soft tannins, and relatively light alcohol. The second – The Society’s Exhibition Fleurie 2021 – is fresh and floral with scented red-fruit notes on the palate. The third – Morgon ‘Collection’, JM Aujoux 2020 – is a classic Beaujolais that has lots of red-cherry character on the palate.
The fourth bottle – The Society’s Beaujolais-Villages 2022 – has excelled at blind tasting, and was a Wine Champion in 2023. The Society’s Exhibition Côte de Brouilly 2022 delivers dark-cherry, berry, and spice flavours, and is delicious with roasted beetroot. And the sixth bottle – Fleurie, Domaine Montangeron 2022 – has been a member favourite for years, and as it’s perfect with roast chicken and other fowl, it’s another Christmas staple.
5. Society Reds Case, £97
If you tend to get through a lot of red wine at Christmas, and you’re not particularly fussy about what style you drink – as long as it’s good! – why not treat your household to this 12-bottle case of The Society Reds?
While it contains several of the French, Australian, and Chilean reds we’ve featured above, this case includes some excellent Italian and Californian reds too.
For example, The Society’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022 is full of flavour and warmth, with a wonderfully fruity, full, and rich palate, and it pairs well with roast pork and roast lamb. The Society’s California Old-Vine Zinfandel 2021 is a classic Cali zinfandel, with notes of fresh strawberry and red cherries, and a hint of vanilla on the finish. If you’re having roast beef for Christmas, it’s the perfect partner.
All 12 wines included are…
- The Society’s Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2020
- The Society’s Claret 2021
- The Society’s California Old-Vine Zinfandel 2021
- The Society’s Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2021
- The Society’s Chilean Pinot Noir, Leyda 2022
- The Society’s Beaujolais-Villages 2022
- The Society’s French Pinot Noir 2022
- The Society’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022
- The Society’s French Syrah 2022
- The Society’s Spanish Monastrell, Jumilla 2022
- The Society’s Australian Shiraz 2021
- The Society’s South African Pinotage-Syrah, Coastal Region 2023
6. Party Reds Case, £95
Hosting a party this Christmas? If you have a lot of guests, it can be difficult to please everyone – so one idea is to buy a bunch of easy-drinking reds that it’s almost impossible not to like. This 12-bottle case (two bottles of each wine) isn’t only great value at £95.00, but it also contains a wide array of excellent wines – so no matter your guests’ taste preferences, you’re sure to find a bottle that they love.
As well as the Australian Shiraz we’ve already featured, the case contains Château l’Evasion, Médoc 2020 – an excellent value claret that’s ideal for everyday drinking. There’s also Sangiovese-Primitivo Cielo Via Mare, Puglia 2021, which is a simple cherry and strawberry-scented wine from the heel of Italy. And Viña Zorzal Garnacha, Navarra 2022, is a delicious Spanish red packed with flavours of black pepper and red fruits.
The Marcel Malbec, du Cèdre, Vin de France 2022 is a soft, ripe-flavoured red with a hint of raspberry and plum – and it’s also delicious served slightly cold. The Pinot Noir ‘Pure Vallée’ Vin de France, Famille Bougrier 2022 is a light, fresh, well-rounded, and easy-drinking pinot from the Loire Valley, and it’s also excellent served chilled.
7. The Bellini Case, £19.50
And finally, if you like to kick off your Christmas with a classic Bellini – or you have friends and family members who aren’t big wine drinkers – this Bellini Case is a great idea. Not only does it ensure you have everything on hand to make a delicious peachy Bellini – the perfect quick-fix cocktail – but it makes an excellent gift too.
This kit contains a bottle of The Society’s Prosecco; light, dry, and zesty, with a crisp mineral finish, this peach and pear-scented sparkling wine is fabulous enjoyed by itself – but it makes the perfect Bellini. The kit also contains white peach nectar from Germany’s lower Rhine, as well as rhubarb nectar, in case you want to add a tart-yet-sweet twist to this classic cocktail!
Final thoughts…
We hope some of these wines have piqued your interest – and the great thing is that by joining The Wine Society for a £40 one-off fee, you can access these and other high-quality wines at fair prices for life. Plus, by joining today, you can get £20 off your first wine order.
The Society Promise also means you can explore and taste new wines with complete confidence – and if, on the rare occasion, you don’t enjoy a bottle, you won’t lose out. You can simply contact the team and they’ll arrange a refund or voucher for you.
For more information on the benefits of joining a wine society, you might want to read our article on the subject here.
Are you a member of The Wine Society? Or are you thinking about becoming a member and trying some of the wines above? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
