Olly's Top 10 Wines

If you’re wondering what wines and fizz to serve this festive season, you’re not alone. From a crisp, zesty white to complement smoked salmon or sushi, to a rich, velvety port that pairs beautifully with festive favourites, choosing the right bottle can feel like a fine art.

With over 18 years of sharing his passion for wine on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen, Olly Smith is here to help uncork the magic. With his new book Wine: Everything You Need To Know and his Top Ten Wines for Christmas, Olly will have you feeling confident about choosing the perfect wines to match your menu, your guests, and your festive mood! 

Lidl, Comte de Senneval Champagne AOP Brut (12.5%) £13.99
Champagne for this price may seem a bit like buying Buckingham Palace for Monopoly money but this is no gimmick. The quality in the glass speaks for itself - small, elegant bubbles with flavours poised delightfully between zingy freshness and a deep almond moreishness. If you’re having a party, serve this with some hunks of aged parmesan cheese and revel in the sheer splendour of the pairing. The salty cheese is offset by the freshness of the fizz, and the textures are a charming contrast.

Aldi Fletcher’s LBV Port (19%) £10.99
What a banger! Glossy, rich, sleek and lush this fruity Port is so much more than just a crowd-pleasing festive gem. Sip it slowly and revel in the most scrumptious dark berry fruit. When you feel the gentle grip of its texture, you can be sure that this fortified wine is crying out to be paired with food. It’s excellent with Stilton but try it with a few squares of dark chocolate and be prepared to enter wine and food Nirvana.   

Majestic Three Choirs Stonebrook 2023 (11%) from £12
Bored of Sauvignon Blanc? Try this zesty soaring gem of a wine from right here in Great Britain. Grown in Gloucestershire at Three Choirs vineyard, this blend of fresh white grapes suited to our climate (Solaris, Siegerrebe and Orion) delivers a wine of fragrant zing, think Granny Smith’s apple meets apple blossom. Dry and zesty, it’s a top party wine to serve cold and wow your guests with. And it’s stunning to serve with sushi, sashimi or even smoked salmon.

M&S Found Kratosija 2024 (13.5%) £8
For a crowd-pleasing party red that’ll save you money, buy this off the beaten track red from north Macedonia. Ripe and silky, its nothing short of velvet glory and whether you pair it with devils on horseback, party nibbles, or a hearty moussaka, it’s a wine that shines as soon as you pour it. From the lesser known Kratosija grape, if you’re already a fan of Zinfandel, you’ll love this grape too. Buying a lesser known wine like this is great value as well as great character.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Petit Chablis 2024 (11.5%) £15
Serving shellfish this Christmas? This is the one wine to rule them all. Prawns, crab, lobster, the lot, this is a great price for a delicious Petit Chablis from the highest and coolest vineyards of northern Burgundy. Elfish, nimble and moreish it has plenty of natural zing along with a charmingly light and silky texture. Fab to find this level of quality on the supermarket shelves for a festive treat. And yes, the grape is Chardonnay. Dive in!

Waitrose The Dry Dam Riesling d’Arenberg 2024 (10.5%) £13
Looking for a wine that’s lower in alcohol? Try this. At just 10.5% it’s a gorgeous balance of zestiness with fruitiness and with plenty of zippy power to it, served chilled it’s nothing short of thrilling. Lovely with Thai dishes such as Pad Thai if you’re treating yourself over the festive period, the flavours remind me of lime sherbet and work sublimely with dishes of fragrant spice. A wine of flair as well as fun.

Tesco Finest Pedro Ximenez (15%) £7.50
No finer pairing with Christmas pudding, Christmas cake or even mince pies. This deep dark sherry is as sweet as liquid figs laced with a drizzle of date syrup. It’s frankly outrageous value for money for something so unctuous and excellent and in my view a treasure of a wine from Spain. Serve it cold and contemplate its rich complexity. Lovely to pair with a box of chocolates or try pouring it over vanilla ice cream for a luscious festive treat.

Asda The Wine Atlas Feteasca Regala (11.5%) £6.08
Looking for a wine with Boxing Day Curry? This is your best bet – and what a total steal of a wine it is too. From Romania, the name means “Royal Maiden” and its flavours are indeed utterly regal in their splendour. Imagine a peach the size of the Moon and you are some way close. It’s a scrumptious fruity wine that’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser that handles spicy food as easily as Biggins in panto. Impossible to beat for sheer value for money.

Morrisons The Best Crémant de Limoux Rosé (12%) £12.75
If you’re wondering what to give someone or which bottle to take round to the neighbours’ house, this is the bottle to bag. Plenty of easy flavours of summer berries along with tiny bubbles (the mark of good quality traditional method fizz) it’s worth having a few bottles on standby in the fridge for any impromptu guests or spontaneous parties. Pair with party nibbles and try serving in white wine glasses to let all the aromas flourish.

The Wine Society Xinomavro Naoussa, Markovitis 2017 (12.8%) £22.50
For a splash out for Christmas Day for turkey with all the trimmings, this off the beaten track gem will appeal to everyday drinkers as well as wine connoisseurs. I’m a huge fan of Greek wine and this one is nothing short of world class. Aromas of rose, tar and truffles alongside flavours which are as savoury as they are satisfying, this is a mature red made from the local Xinomavro grape. For a talking point, this is a wonderful bottle to share and indulge in.

If you’ve ever wanted to choose wines that truly bring you joy, or learn how to discover your personal wine style, Olly Smith’s brand-new book is the perfect place to start. Wine: Everything You Need To Know (out now from Quadrille, £16.99 Hardback) is your ultimate guide to the wonderful world of wine, from the basics of picking the right bottle and how much to spend, to how to taste and appreciate every sip. Add it to your Christmas wish list and treat yourself (or a fellow wine lover!) to a book that makes wine fun, approachable, and deliciously rewarding.

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