At The Oxford Wine Company we spend our days surrounded by thousands of delicious wines, spirits and beers. But which of them do we decide to drink at home? Take a look below for our team’s top picks for this month.
What We’re Drinking in December
John Shuckburgh, WSET Educator
Buil & Giné, Baboix, Montsant 2020 – £22.50 £20.25 – Montsant is a great value Spanish region making intense and full bodied reds in the style of neighbouring Priorat. This deep and dark-fruited wine has structure and great class. Made from a Catalunyan blend of Spanish and French grapes and at 14.5% alcohol it’s a monster too!
Tiefenbrunner Merus Pinot Grigio 2023 – £19.00 £17.10 – This is a top class Italian Pinot Grigio. You might not be expecting the intensity of ripe, candied pear and apple fruit, or the velvet texture, least of all such a fine long finish – but they’re all there!
Ernest Rapeneau Brut Champagne – 150cl NV– £55.00 £49.50 – This is an ideal magnum for the Christmas lunch table. Dry but not too acidic, with delightful lemon and peachy fruit and just the right amount of bubbles. A great quaffing Champagne in a decent size bottle!
Manda Joyce, Wine Advisor
Domaine Gayda, Figure Libre Cabernet Franc, Pays d’Oc 2022 – £20.00 £18.00 – Tasting this again was like running into an old friend and remembering how much you like them. Elegant, lively, layered dark fruit and notes of freshly-sharpened pencil.
Chatto `Lutruwita` Pinot Noir, Tasmania 2023 – £49.75 £44.78 – A new listing for us, this was love at first sip. Having stashed my own bottle of Tasmania’s finest for Christmas, I’m now happy to share my recommendation with fellow Pinot Noir fans. My tasting note just said ‘SOOO GOOOOOOOD’.
Paul René Cap Classique Brut 2019 – £24.75 £22.28 – Look no further for your please-everyone bubbly! From your Prosecco-lovers to your traditional-method aficionados, a glass of this will put a smile on everyone’s face.
Aljoscha Wright, Buyer
Famille Jaume Crozes-Hermitage 2023 – £27.50 £23.38 – A crunchy Grenache led, un-oaked style of Crozes-Hermitage – works very well with turkey or lamb.
Bodega Atamisque Serbal Petit Verdot, Tupungato, Uco Valley 2023 – £15.50 £13.95 – This is a great example for anyone who likes the red berry concentration of Petit Verdot.
Buil & Giné, Joan Giné Blanc, Priorat 2020 – £24.75 £22.28 – I’m a big fan of the wines from Priorat. The lesser known whites are brilliant too, especially this one, offering a great alternative for customers looking for something intriguingly different.
Katy Barker, Retail Marketing Manager
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, La Gerla 2019 – £65.00 £58.50 – One of my top wines of the year! Elegance, incredible depth and density of fruit, all wrapped in well-balanced oak and five years of aging.
Calma Indomita Albarin, Mauricio Lorcan- Leon 2023 – £16.75 £15.08 – The perfect balance of fresh salinity and ripe, juicy peaches. This is the current wine I reach for when I just fancy a delicious glass.
Cotswolds Cream Liqueur – £28.00 £25.20 – There’s always a bottle of this in my fridge in December. This is by far the best Cream Liqueur on the market, its richness and velvetiness is unmatched, and is the perfect drink to finish an evening.
Mark Warde-Aldam, Shop Manager
Quinta do Soalheiro Granit Mineral Selection, Monção e Melgaço 2023 – £22.75 £20.48 – I’ve always loved Alvarinho. We had this open at our recent Christmas tasting and it blew me away. With north facing vineyards and grown on granite soil this has crisp acidity with rose petal nose.
Rosso di Montalcino DOC, La Gerla 2020 – £29.75 £26.78 – Turbo charged Sangiovese! Not quite Brunello but very close and half the price. Packed with bitter cherries.
Torre Zambra Incastro Bianco, Terre di Chieti IGT 2022 – £13.50 £12.15 – A blend of native Italian grapes, this organic white always does it for me. Tangy with soft, ripe fruit.
Min Yee Tseu, Corporate and University Account Manager
Szepsy Estate Tokaji Szamorodni 2016 – £58.00 £52.50 – This is a phenomenal alternative to the traditional Sauternes that you might have over the Christmas period – give it a try!
Charles Heidsieck Brut Millésimé 2013 – £120.00 £108.00 – The perfect Vintage Champagne for all the Christmas toasts with (your favourite) family and friends!
Ciabot Berton Barolo del comune di la Morra DOCG 2019 – £38.50 £34.65 – A deliciously affordable Barolo from one of my favourite Italian suppliers that manages to be both punchy and delicate
Emily Silva, Head of Retail and Marketing
Brunello di Montalcino La Pieve DOCG, La Gerla 2019 – £79.50 £71.55 – This beautiful Brunello will make you wish you could wear wine as a perfume, such is its enchanting, enticing aroma. The flavours are just as delicious, with a finish that seems to last forever. Pure perfection.
Au Bon Climat Wild Boy Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County 2022 – £31.75 £28.58 – Oh how I love good Chardonnay. Let this wine envelop you in a warm glow of deliciousness at the end of a long day out in the cold. Add some roast chicken and you’ve got my perfect evening!
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino – £30.00 £27.00 – Make your festive Negroni pitch-perfect with this, my all-time favourite vermouth. Mellow, complex and properly delicious.
Nick Gorton, Shop Manager
Keltern Chardonnay, Villa Maria 2020 – £35.50 £31.95 – If you want a big, bold, oaky Chardonnay, but don’t want to remortgage your home for a bottle of Meursault, go for this fantastic alternative from Villa Maria!
Meyer-Näkel Grauwacke Spätburgunder 2021 – £38.00 £34.20 – Ditch tradition and go for a German Pinot Noir this Christmas. This example shows amazing depth and complexity, and will be a great pairing with your roast turkey.
Bodegas Lustau East India Solera NV £29.00 £26.10 – Almost like drinking liquid Christmas cake. Dried fruit and nuts, raisins, and a delicious sweetness that will have you reaching for more!
John Chapman, Managing Director
Maison Henri Champliau Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé NV – £22.50 £20.25 – Now I am not a big pink sparkling fan but when it is done well it is one of the most satisfying welcome drinks. This rosé has poise in the mouth with a subtle mousse and just enough fruit to tantalise your taste buds. At this price you can be generous to all your guests over Christmas.
Falchini ‘Reserva Vigna a Solatìo’ Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2019 £28.50 £25.65 – This festive season we all want a treat. This wine offers the complexity and style like a white burgundy and adds the dazzle of the Mediterranean with an accessibility and price you can stomach. A real hidden gem, go on spoil yourself.
Château du Glana, St Julien 2017 – £33.50 £30.15 – Winter drinking by the fire for me always requires claret. This Saint Julien has age and classy development with that nuance of savoury allure all good Bordeaux exudes. Goes well with hearty dishes but for me – drink somewhere warm with someone you like.
Thom Allinson, Buying & Logistics
Falchini Vin Santo del Chianti DOC Riserva 2012 – £30.00 £27.00 – Broad and penetrating aromas, with lively notes of dried fruits, nuts, honey, vanilla and sweet spices, It’s become a tradition that me and my mother share a bottle with a pack of biscotti every festive period!
Domaine d’Ardhuy Bourgogne Côtes d’Or Les Chagniots 2022 – £30.00 £27.00 – Super classy and fragrant Pinot Noir with concentrated red and black fruit, hints of violet and wood.
Domaine d’Ardhuy, Ladoix Blanc 2020 – £38.00 £34.20 – Elegant floral notes and mineral touches. Soft, with a little hint of oak in the background. A really classy Burgundy for the money considering the price wines from the neighboring Grand Cru vineyard fetch.
Emma Bristow, Wine Advisor
Zuccardi Los Olivos Chardonnay, Mendoza 2023 – £13.50 £12.15 – Delightful crisp Argentinian Chardonnay with citrus and peach aromas. It has slightly more lemon on the palate with a light creamy richness. Easy drinking, in a good way!!
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Château de la Gardine 2021 – £40.00 £36.00 –Rich flavours of blackberries and black cherry raspberry and a hint of coffee and violet with a velvety spicy finish. An elegant and balanced wine. Would pair well with hearty winter suppers!
Henriques & Henriques 15 Year Old Boal Madeira 50cl NV – £33.75 £30.38 – Luscious warming notes of clove, dried fig and apricot enveloped in caramel and honey with a fresh finish. Would be delicious paired with strong cheeses.
Romain Alaphilippe, Shop Manager
Domaine Gayda Chemin de Moscou, Pays d’Oc 150cl 2021 – £55.00 £49.50 – Harvest by hand, selected grape by grape, and ageing for 21 months. This is an interstellar Syrah, Grenache & Cinsault blend! Probably for me, the best memory of our New Year’s Eve French club in 2020!
Buil & Giné, Giné Giné, Priorat 2021 – £21.75 £19.58 – The wines of Priorat are rare, fantastic and powerful! A perfect winter treat and some warmth for your heart and taste buds.
Maxime Trijol VSOP Grande Champagne, Premier Cru – £79.75 £71.78 – With family living in Cognac, I can’t wait to crack a bottle of this subtle, smooth and fruit-forward spirit when I’m home! Absolutely superb!
Lucy Harrison, Shop Manager
Résonance Decouverte Vineyard Chardonnay, Oregon 2020 – £44.50 £40.05 – One of my favourite wines of 2024- a mineral driven, oaked Chardonnay from Oregon which is a wonderful alternative to Burgundy. I’ll be cracking this open on Christmas day!
Rathfinny Estate Blanc de Noirs, Sussex 2019 – £42.50 £38.25 – The signature wine from this highly acclaimed winery in Sussex. A richly textured fizz perfect for every occasion!
Duckhorn Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2019 – £30.00 £27.00 – The Decoy range is the younger sibling of Duckhorn, but are more approachable in their youth. This Cabernet is laced with blackcurrants, blueberry, plums with mocha and baking spices. A wonderful winter warmer!