Home » Lifestyle » From 'fresh' £6 whites to Champagne for £14 – wine expert Jilly Goolden tests the best Christmas booze
From 'fresh' £6 whites to Champagne for £14 – wine expert Jilly Goolden tests the best Christmas booze
12/17/2021
IT’S time to raise a toast to Christmas – with these supermarket corkers.
But if you are left scratching your head in the drinks aisle, our festive tipple guide is here to save the day.
Wine expert Jilly Goolden gives her verdict on reds, whites, fizz and ports and dishes out awards for the best.
Whites for under £10
Asda Extra Special Cotes de Gascogne, £6
NOSE in glass and it’s a bit porridgey, with a scent like muesli.
Then a surprise on the taste – it’s very fresh and lemony with almost a saltiness to it, nutty and characterful. Even a bit lavendery.
Tesco Finest Gavi, £8.50
BEST PARTY WINE
A GREAT example of a classic Italian white, with a heady bouquet like fudge.
The texture is remarkable – lissom and silky.
The flavour is mouth-filling with a little geranium note plus zesty lemon.
Delicious.
M&S Cotes du Rhone Blanc Les Remparts 2020, £8
BEST WHITE WITH XMAS DINNER
I LOVE Rhone whites. This is a great one with scents of tangerine and a hint of simmering marmalade.
Flavours are apricot, preserved orange and almond, with a hit of lemon to finish.
Co-op Irresistible Leyda Valley Sauvignon Blanc, £8
BIG, fat simmering gooseberries on the nose and it tastes intensely gooseberry-like as well, though perhaps too much of a good thing unless you’re in love with gooseberries!
A big statement wine, but too overpowering for Christmas dins.
Morrisons The Best Alto Adige Pinot Grigio, £10
BEST FOR CELEBRATION DRINKS
HAS a delicate scent of boiled sweets and freesias then deliciously fruity to taste in a mouth-filling, tongue-coating way.
Cork and shoulders better than most pinot grigios, it’s a class act and worth the extra.
Aldi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, £9.99
A DISTINCTIVE New Zealand sauvignon blanc – the world’s blueprint for this grape.
Good fleshy gooseberry flavours but a slick of chalkiness spoils it and it ends with a plasticky suggestion so could be better.
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Coteaux du Giennois Blanc, £10
A SAUVIGNON blanc from the Loire Valley with a sting in its tail.
Sharp and nettley on the nose then grassy and relentlessly lemony to taste – like swigging pure lemon juice.
Maybe good with oily fish, but otherwise too astringent to enjoy.
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