“These are as good as it gets,” says David. You won’t fi nd better than these hot tips – all the wines below are widely available and at stunning value. Ordered by price, here are David’s top ten wines for the festive season.

Under €10

Casa Rivas Merlot Reserva 2008 (Chile)Available from: SuperquinnPrice: €8, down from €15.99An indulgent, plumy red for curling up with by the fi re.David says: If you like Chilean Merlot, this is the best around at this price.

Vina Albali Tempranillo 2008 (Spain)Available from: SuperquinnPrice: €7, down from €13.99A rich red with aromas of red berries, intense blackberry fl avours and a dash of spicy oak.David says: Really gutsy and juicy. The perfect house wine.

San Lorenzo Rioja Reserva 2004 (Spain)Available from: TescoPrice: €7.49, down from €15.99A rounded, smooth red with mulberry, plum and red berry fruits enriched with soft, creamy vanilla and spicy cinnamon.David says: 2004 was an excellent Rioja vintage; this wine is astounding value at this promotional price point.

Under €15

d’Arenberg Stump Jump Red 2007 (Australia)Available from: Most off licencesPrice: €10.99-11.99This McLaren Vale red is made from a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre grapes, the classic Southern Rhone blend that forms the backbone of all Chateauneuf-du-Papes.David says: A dazzling all-rounder; layers and layers of red and black fruits – a must-try!

Rizzardi Munus 2007 (Italy)Available from: O’BriensPrice: €12.99, down from €19.99A blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone and Merlot with lots of good oak that yields a multi-layered, velvety red with real complexity.David says: An exceptional Italian offering from the exceptional 2007 vintage.

Winter

8Irish Independent

LOVEFOODWinter 2009

For hosting a Christmas cheese and wine party, you could do a lot worse than pick up a pair of Bordeaux – a red and a white, sure to impress guests.Fine Wines Off Licence Group (www.fi newines.ie) have a red and a white Bordeaux available for just €9.99 each.

Chateau Moulin de Rioucreux Rouge 2006 has “classic restrained blackberry and cedar aromas and fl avours”, comments David. Chateau Lebreuith Bellevue Bordeaux Blanc 2007, meanwhile, is “an easy but attractive white Bordeaux with classic citrus and fresh pineapple fl avours, complemented with some toasty oak notes”.

for less

Winter

for lessWines

Domaine Roger Perrin Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007 (France)Available from: Dunnes StoresPrice: €14.95, down from €18.39Packed with aromas and fl avours of red fruits, herbs and sweet black cherries.David says: The wines from the 2007 vintage in the Southern Rhone Valley are on fi re – this classic red refl ects that at an unbelievable price point.

Chateau de Fontaine-Audon Sancerre 2008 (France)Available from: O’BriensPrice: €14.99, down from €18.99An elegant, dry white with great minerality and concentrated green fruits.David says: Benchmark Sancerre – you won’t fi nd a fi ner Sancerre for under €15.

Huia Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (New Zealand)Available from: Searsons, Monkstown Cresecent, Blackrock, Co DublinPrice: €14.75Beautiful citrus aromas; gooseberry, melon and passion fruit fl avours, and fantastic length.David says: I love the synergy this wine achieves, capturing the vibrant fruit-forward style of Marlborough yet with mineral restraint more akin to a good Pouilly-Fume.

Under €20

Baron de Ley Rioja 7 Vinas Reserva 2001 (Spain)Available from: TescoPrice: €19.50, down from €29.50A multi-award-winning well-balanced, silky red; deep ruby colour, aromas of red berries and vanilla. Flavours of sweet fruit and complex, spicy oak.David says: This is new style Rioja winemaking at its best – an exceptional wine.

Under €30

Quinta do Crasto Reserva Old Vines 2007 (Portugal)Available from: www.WinesDirect.ie Price: €28Blackberries and plums are balanced with gorgeous smoky and spicy notes in this red; packed with deep, rich fruits and a chocolate vanilla twist.David says: Intense fl avours, intense excitement. Wonderful!

David’s Top Ten

Ben Murnane chats to wine expert David Whelehan about the top deals this Christmas

A Christmas cheese and wine

“The key when it comes to wines for Christmas is to experiment,” say David Whelehan. For a party or Christmas

dinner itself, it’s always good to have a few different bottles – and not just of the ‘tried and tested’ kind. The fun is in mixing and matching.

“When I’m having a dinner party, I’m always changing the wines, that’s the fun – having three or four options, playing with fl avours.

“Even if you buy three bottles, with an average of a half bottle per person, that covers a dinner for six people.”

The good thing about the current climate is that there is more value about than ever before. And David recommends not just varying your wines but varying where you shop, if you have time: different offers and styles are available in

different supermarkets and off -licences.

Another important piece of advice is to know which country’s wines best match your price point. If you want to spend under €8, look to Chile and Spain. If you’re spending around €10 a bottle, Australian wine is a good choice. “When you go over that price range it’s very interesting look back to Europe,

to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal,”

concludes David.

different supermarkets and off -licences.

Another important piece of advice is to know which country’s wines best match your price point. If you want to spend under €8, look to Chile and Spain. If you’re spending around €10 a bottle, Australian wine is a good choice. “When you go over that price range it’s very interesting look back to Europe,

to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal,”

concludes David.

Top Bubbly!Lanvin Champagne Brut NV (France)Available from: Dunnes StoresPrice: €19.99With a lovely ripeness of fruit that fi nishes through, this is an elegant aperitif-style Champagne, beautifully well made.David says: Surprisingly suave and sophisticated with good balance and a long, lingering fi nish. Astonishing value.