The Best Wines for Christmas 2026: Meet Our Christmas Bangers

Fizz for the morning, whites for the starter, reds for the main event. Our Christmas wine picks, from £10 to £49.

Christmas wine gets easier once you know what's going on the table. So we've sorted our Christmas Bangers by the moment they're for: fizz for the first drink, whites for the starter and the fish, and reds for the big roast. There are more than 25 bottles here, and each one links to its page if you want the full tasting note.

Looking for a Christmas Day case, a wine gift, Port, or easy bottles for Boxing Day? They're in our Best Christmas Wines 2026 guide.

Short on time? Our Christmas Favourites collection has a lot of them in one place.

Shop Christmas Favourites

Jump to: Fizz · Light whites · Richer whites · Rosé · Pinot Noir and lighter reds · Big reds · Gayda and the Languedoc · Puglia · FAQs

Christmas fizz: sparkling wine and Champagne

Five bottles from £10 to £40. An Italian fizz for a houseful comes first and two English sparklers come last, with a Loire crémant and a small-grower Champagne in between. Browse all of our sparkling wine, Champagne and English sparkling wine if you want more choice.

• Palazzi Durello Spumante Brut NV – £10
  Made in Veneto the same way as Prosecco, with a different grape: Durello. Dry and crisp, with apple and lemon. Kate says if you love Prosecco you'll love this, and people often prefer it.
• Domaine Landreau, Crémant de Loire Brut NV – £17.50
  Crémant is traditional-method fizz made outside Champagne, and Kate says it often gives you incredible value. This Loire one is dry and silky, with green apple and citrus blossom and a little almond behind. Smoked salmon blinis suit it.
• Champagne Lete-Vautrain, Côte 204 Brut NV – £32.50
  A smaller Champagne producer on the limestone slopes near Château-Thierry, in the Vallée de la Marne. Bright apple and apricot fruit, with a little brioche. We love working with smaller Champagne producers because you get more for your money. Oysters, smoked salmon or a ripe Camembert all work.
• Mountfield Classic Cuvée NV – £37
  Traditional-method English sparkling from East Sussex. Lemon, peach and red apple, a hint of brioche from time on its lees, and fine bubbles. We'd pour it with oysters or crab.
• Black Chalk Classic Cuvée 2022 – £40
  English fizz from the chalky vineyards of Hampshire's Test Valley. Green apple, citrus zest and white peach, with toasted brioche underneath. Kate loves it with oysters and says it's just as good on its own.

Light white wines for Christmas starters and fish

Crisp, fresh whites for the starter, the fish course, or the hour before the main comes out. See more in our white wine collection.

• Secret Coast Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc NV – £11
  Green peapod and grapefruit on the nose, then gooseberry and a mineral edge. Winemaker Megan Simmonds blends across vintages to get the balance right. Pour it well chilled, with garlicky prawns, chilli and lime.
• Pazo Cilleiro Albariño 2025 – £16
  Albariño from the Galician coast in Rías Baixas. Citrus peel and white peach with a slight salty edge. Fresh oysters, grilled prawns or a Galician-style fish stew.
• Waterkloof, Circle of Life White 2025 – £16
  A blend from a South African estate two miles from the Atlantic: citrus blossom, green pear and a crisp, mineral finish. Kate calls it mega with fish dishes. It also works with grilled asparagus and lemon-garlic tofu if there are vegetarians at the table.
• Domaine Alexandre, Petit Chablis 2025 – £21.50
  Very fresh, with pure fruit. Kate would drink it with oysters, and she thinks it's great value for the quality.
• Granbazan, Etiqueta Ámbar Albariño 2025 – £25.50
  Another Rías Baixas Albariño, this one with concentrated fruit and lip-smacking freshness. Kate's pick to go with it: a plate of garlicky langoustines. Explore more in our Albariño collection.

Richer white wines for roast chicken and creamy dishes

White Burgundy for people who want a bit more weight in the glass. Three Chardonnays, all good with roast chicken. More in our Chardonnay collection and our Chablis collection.

• Domaine Fournillon, Bourgogne Blanc 2023/24 – £17.50
  Northern Burgundy Chardonnay with green apple, citrus peel and white flowers, and a touch of almond. Kate calls it exactly what she wants from an everyday white Burgundy. Roast chicken with thyme and lemon is the one to try.
• Domaine Fournillon, Chablis 2024 – £21.50
  Crisp, refreshing and generous with its fruit, with the minerality you want from Chablis. Kate's verdict: a dinner table essential, and good value.
• Domaine de la Croix Senaillet, Saint-Véran en Pommards 2023 – £26
  Chardonnay from limestone-rich soils in southern Burgundy, part-fermented in oak. Round and rich, with ripe orchard fruit, lemon peel and a hint of gingerbread spice, and a fresh finish. Roast chicken with thyme and butter, or a creamy mushroom risotto.

Rosé for the Christmas table

A pale rosé is worth having in for the cold cuts and the smoked salmon. Our rosé wine collection has the full range, and there are two more rosés in the Gayda section below.

• Selladore en Provence Rosé 2025 – £20
  A pale salmon-pink Provence rosé from a family estate in the Haut Var, and exclusive to us in the North. Wild strawberry, white peach and citrus zest. Try it with a warm goat's cheese salad or grilled prawns.

Pinot Noir and lighter reds for turkey and duck

Lighter reds are the safe bet for turkey, duck or a mushroom-led vegetarian main, because they sit alongside the food without taking over. See more in our Pinot Noir collection. 

• Domaine Gayda, Sphere Pinot Noir 2024 – £13
  A Languedoc Pinot Noir with red cherry, raspberry and a touch of cinnamon. Roast duck with cherry glaze, or grilled portobello mushrooms with herby couscous.
• Domaine Billard, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Rouge 2023 – £17
  Pinot Noir with ripe berry fruit, sweet spice and fine tannins. Kate says it's a lovely way into Burgundy, and very good value.
• NAKU 2025 – £21
  Exclusive to us in the UK. A young, fresh Tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa, with red cherry, wild strawberry and a chalky thread from the limestone soils. The tannins are soft. Charcuterie, grilled chicken or a roasted vegetable traybake with olives all go well.

Big red wines for beef, lamb and game

The Christmas roast reds. Pour these with beef, lamb or game, and see our guides to wine with steak and wine with lamb for more. Or browse all of our red wine.

• Cantine Pirovano, Beatrice Appassimento Rosso Salento 2024 – £14.50
  From Puglia, made with Malvasia Nera. Kate calls it a hug in a glass: lush and indulgent, with soft tannins and a hint of sweetness. Good for a dinner party or a midweek treat.
• Waterkloof, Circle of Life Red 2022 – £16
  A Stellenbosch red with juicy, pure dark fruit, a savoury spiciness and a fresh finish. A good one for stews.
• Serbal Petit Verdot 2024 – £17.50
  Our buyer Nic tasted this in Didsbury with the team and reckons it's one of the best Petit Verdots we've had. There's no oak, but you get a smoky note from the grape itself, with blueberry and blackberry. Steak off the grill or lamb chops.
• Sarrat de Goundy, Le Planteur Rouge 2024 – £20
  A Syrah-led red from La Clape, with twelve months in French oak. Winemaker Olivier's father, Claude, planted the hillside by hand into hard rock, and Olivier made this wine as a thank you. Kate says it's ripe, generous and highly recommended. Try with a slow-cooked leg of lamb.
• Château Clauzet, St-Estèphe 2017 – £24
  A one-off parcel of classic Saint-Estèphe: blackcurrant, plum, cedar and a little graphite, with fine-grained tannins. Kate says the quality for the price is exceptional. Roast lamb with garlic and rosemary, or a rib-eye with red wine jus.
• San Marzano, Primitivo di Manduria Riserva 62 Anniversario 2020 – £32
  Plush, concentrated Primitivo from Puglia, with prune, cherry jam and dark chocolate. Kate says it smells like Christmas cake. Braised short ribs or a rich tomato pasta.
• Domaine de Saje, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition 2023 – £36
  A textbook Châteauneuf: ripe blackberry, baked plum, leather and wild garrigue herbs. Big, but polished, and Kate says it will age nicely. Slow-roast lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic, or an aubergine and lentil moussaka. Explore more in our Rhône collection.
• Sottano, Judas Malbec 2021 – £49
  The flagship of Sottano's range, from high-altitude vineyards in Mendoza. Plum, dark cherry and cassis, with tobacco, mint and dark chocolate. Kate calls it a blockbuster that always impresses at tastings, and a superb gift. Grilled rib-eye, or a spiced lamb tagine. More in our Malbec collection.

What to pour with your Christmas dinner

• Turkey: a lighter red such as Domaine Billard or Gayda Sphere Pinot Noir, or a richer white like the Saint-Véran.
• Beef: Château Clauzet, San Marzano Primitivo or the Judas Malbec.
• Lamb: Domaine de Saje Châteauneuf or Le Planteur Rouge.
• Vegetarian main: Gayda Sphere Pinot Noir with mushrooms, or Settebraccia with aubergine. For something vegan, see our vegan wine collection.
• Smoked salmon and shellfish: any of the fizz above, or a light white such as Pazo Cilleiro Albariño.

Christmas wine FAQs

What is the best wine to serve with Christmas dinner?

It depends on the main course. Turkey goes well with a lighter red like Pinot Noir, or a richer white such as Saint-Véran. Beef wants something bigger, like the Château Clauzet or the Judas Malbec. For lamb, try the Domaine de Saje Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The list above shows what each wine pairs with.

Which fizz should I open on Christmas morning?

If you're pouring for a crowd, the Palazzi Durello at £10 is an easy choice. For Champagne, the Lete-Vautrain Côte 204 comes from a smaller producer and costs £32.50. Mountfield and Black Chalk are the English options.

Can I buy a mixed case of Christmas wine?

Yes. Our 6 bottle cases are ready to go, and our Christmas wine gifts and wine gifts and cases cover presents and multi-bottle sets.

Ready to stock up?

Pick the fizz you'd like to open first, a white and a red for the table, and the rest is up to how many people you're feeding. Most of it is in our Christmas Favourites collection, and every bottle has its own page.

Shop Christmas Favourites

Planning more of the day? Our guides to the Christmas Day case and Christmas cheese and wine pairings will help, and so will our Christmas gift guide.