Prepare to say cheers to a hassle-free Christmas as we simplify your holiday season with our curated selection of stress-free festive wines. From rosé to white and red, delight in wines you and your guests will savour.
Here at UTCT HQ, we’ve meticulously tried and tested a whole host of wine options including vegan options to ensure your festive season is exceptional. Trust our expert advice for the perfect pairings and unforgettable celebrations.
Below are our handpicked best Red, White & Rosé Wines for Christmas 2023
The Hidden Sea Rosé 2022 75cl (12.5%), Suitable for vegans, £8.00, Asda
Kicking off with The Hidden Sea Rosé for every bottle sold, the company removed and recycled 10 plastic bottles from the Ocean. Our team said: “The South Australian rose, is light in colour and has a clean and refreshing zesty taste. With notes of strawberries and a sweet but dry fruity taste, we felt this is the ideal wine to pair with your Christmas Trifle.”
Andrew Peace Signature Chardonnay 75cl (12.5%), Suitable for vegans, £6.95, Co-op
Tropical fruit and delicate citrus are what make this 2021 Chardonnay the ultimate all-rounder. Our team said “If you’re looking for the perfect no-nonsense and that will suit everyone’s platte wine, then Andrew Peace Signature Chardonnay ticks all the boxes. It has a creamy tropical taste not overpowering and certainly not sharp!”
The Hidden Sea Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (12%), Suitable for vegans, £8.00, Asda
Green salads and seafood starters would go perfectly with this Sauvignon Blanc, we felt ” Its refreshing profile makes it an ideal choice for warm-weather meals and appetizers. It had crisp acidity and bright citrus notes which are not overly dry.”
Baron de Ley Rioja Blanco 75cl (13%), £8.99, Waitrose
If you like a crisp, refreshing and dry wine this is for you! our team said “Well balanced and packed with sharp citrus notes of ripe fruit, pink grapefruit and a hint of lime! Ideal for pairing with pasta and seafood dishes”
Andrew Peace Signature Shiraz 75cl (13.5%), Suitable for vegans, £6.95, Co-op
At 14% alcohol, this red wine is a true crowd-pleaser, boasting delightful delicate cherry flavours and subtle bramble hints. With its 13.5% full-bodied richness, it’s a versatile choice, equally delicious enjoyed on its own or paired with food. You’ll savour the punch of blackberries and plums, beautifully rounded with an oaky note. Our team was unanimously impressed!
Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva 75cl (13.5%), £9.75, Co-op
If you like a good Cabernet then give the Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva a go! Our Team said: “Smooth, elegant and rich is how we would describe this Rioja, ideal with mushroom or meaty dishes the notes of dark fruits came through with an oaky twist.”
La P’tite Pierre Villages de France 2022 Red, £7.00, Tesco
This has a rich and smooth taste and is by far one of the lighter-styled wines we’ve tried! With tasting notes of raspberry and a touch of spice, this was easy to drink and would be a real crowd-pleaser at any festive party.
La P’tite Pierre Villages de France 2022 Blanc, £7.00, Tesco
High quality, a good texture and a real citrus kick are what would make this a great option for your Christmas table. The flavours of apple, pear and lemon are well-balanced and are a great go-to wine.
Dark Horse Merlot California 2020, £10, Tesco
This medium-bodied Merlot ticks all the boxes for a pleasant, woody smokey red wine. It has a toasty oaky taste and we felt the first sip paced a real punch. Ideal choice for a cold winter evening to put warmth through you.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, £10, Tesco
A bold wine with notes of plum, a touch of oak and a chocolate finish. When it comes to your Christmas mains at dinner ensure there’s a bottle of this on your table as it would pair ideally with meaty dishes.
Chateau Cailleteau Bergeron Prestige 2019, Tesco
Soft and mellow textures are what make this a real classic. The mixed Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Carménère spicy foods would pair extremely nicely with this wine. At 14% alcohol, it certainly gives that oomph.
Brown Brothers Explorer Series Orange Muscat & Flora, £8.50, Tesco
Sweet, Rich and the perfect option for a dessert wine or for the cheeseboard. With just the right amounts of sweetness, you can instantly taste orange, apricot and honey!
Ribera del Duero – Riberal Reserva 2016, Dominio Romano
Hints of balsamic and tones of powerful black fruit give this a really complex flavour. If you have a red wine connoisseur in the family, you’ll certainly put a smile on their face when you pop open a bottle of this.
Ribera del Duero – Dominio Romano 2016, Dominio Romano
Made with 100% Tinto Fino grapes notes of dark rich fruits including plums and berries are pleasant to the nose. We felt that the right balance of spice was used and one big glass certainly left us wanting a little more.
Black Tower Club Edition Pinot Noir Rosé, Vegan, £8, Asda
If you’re looking for a bottle of Rosé that stands out this Christmas, grab one of these! The blend of juicy raspberry and plum gave a very refreshing taste. There was a good touch of sweetness and wasn’t bitter! If you’re making up a charcuterie board make sure a bottle of this is at the table too.
Black Tower Club Edition Sauvignon Blanc, Vegan, £8, Asda
This is undoubtedly a great Sav, it has all the ingredients to give you a really crisp, clean taste. Left chilled, we could instantly smell passionfruit and zesty apple and on finishing our glass our pallet was left with a lovely refreshing taste.
Black Tower Club Edition Riesling, Vegan £8, Asda
This is the perfect aperitif which would go great with salads, seafood and veggies – and the ideal choice for vegans! With its creamy and well-balanced taste, we felt that this is a great all-rounder – not too sharp no heartburn after and a clean palette – just lovely!
ASDA Extra Special Marques Del Norte Rioja Gran Reserva, £12, Asda
Winning Bronze Decanter World Wine Awards 2023, we felt this was a wine to be enjoyed with friends. It has a velvety red and black bramble taste with a bit of a jammy twist which left our mouth feeling not dry or sharp. Very drinkable!
Asda Extra Special Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2022, £9, Asda
Another award-winning wine from Asda which is also suitable for vegetarians and goes perfectly with seafood pasta or barbecued fish. Our team said it was very enjoyable and layered with vibrant citrus fruits which had a good tang to them. A little on the dryer side so if you like a more sweet wine then this may not be for you.
Wise Wolf Cabernet Sauvignon – £8.50
A vibrant red wine with plenty of flavour. Our team could really taste the blackcurrants, plum and cherry which gave a full-bodied taste and felt the hints of mint gave the perfect balance.
Yvon Mau Premius Bordeaux 2018, £8.95
This rounded red should be part of your Sunday roast dinner. We felt it was full-bodied, and rich and if you like toasted flavours of blackcurrants and vanilla then this is right up your street. A good value wine which is packed with fruits.
Asda Extra Special Sancerre, £15.50, Asda
Fresh lemon, grapefruit and gooseberry with a hint of minerality is how Asda describes this lovely Sauvignon Blanc. Our team said it had a very refreshing taste and was not overly dry, if you’re having white meat for Christmas lunch this would be a great pallet cleanser.
ASDA Extra Special Château Leboscq Médoc, £14, Asda
Deep rich flavours, and once opened one glass won’t be enough! We feel this is a quality wine with its aromas of plum, toast and leather this is one for any red wine lover. A very earthy wine packed with character, this dark plum-coloured wine has been made to impress.
The Garden Route Sauvignon Blanc, £7.99, Aldi
Refreshing, light and punchy with notes of lemon, lime and melon. Our team said this is your staple go-to Sauvignon and if you have any fussy drinkers this festive period this is a great option. Easy to drink and would go ideally with winter salads or pasta dishes.
Wise Wolf Chardonnay – £8.50
Made with yellow and white fruits to give a zesty and citrus taste. Our team felt this chardonnay was very enjoyable and had the perfect balance between sweet vanilla and the zesty citrus – perfect with any turkey or fish dish.
Aldi Specially Selected Castellore Gavi, Aldi
Fans of a dry white wine will be surprisingly pleased with Aldi’s Gavi. It has flora aromas including what we felt were like chamomile and a touch of lime. Ensure you keep this chilled as that’s when it taste at its best.
Co-op Irresistible Macon-Villages Chardonnay, £10.50, Co-op
We loved this crunchy green apple with ripe white peach Chardonnay, it had a lovely creamy finish and was not overly sweet. This would be perfect with canapes or to serve as a welcoming drink to guests this Christmas.
Co-op Irresistible Sauvignon Blanc Blush, £8.50, Co-op
Mixing both Rose and Sauvignon together to give a beautiful fresh, crisp and dry palate is what makes this a great option for wine lovers. Our team said the strawberry, raspberry and berry flavours paired well together and with the citrus gave a nice and light taste.
Wise Wolf Rose – £8.50
With a beautiful bottle, this rose was pale pink and was made with freshly picked strawberries and raspberries with hints of melon. Our team loved the taste, it was a very refreshing wine and was light.
Co-op Irresistible AOP Languedoc Red, £10.60, Co-op
This deep-red coloured wine is crammed with flavours including black currant and for us a slight cranberry-ish taste. It had a pepper spice and smooth finish and at 14% alcohol, it will certainly give you that kick of heat!
Well with all that being said and tasted…it’s time to pop open another!
