IT’S wine time! Now we’ve officially hit the Christmas month, there’ll be plenty of parties and gatherings to bring a bottle.
But you don’t always have to splash the cash to impress.
Helena Nicklin tested the bargain red wines on supermarket shelves to find the very bestOliver Dixon
This week Aldi slashed the price of its highly regarded Specially Selected Carianne red from £8.99 to just £3.49.
It’s not the only rock bottom rogue on shelves.
Drinks expert Helena Nicklin gives her recommendations for reds under a fiver and marks them out of five.
Specially Selected 2021 Cairanne, £3.49, Aldi (from Dec 11)
Aldi’s French Cairanne red wine has won awards and will be reducing its price to £3.49Louis Wood
HAILING from the Rhone Valley in Northeastern France, this cracking Cairanne has a similar blend of grapes to a budget-busting bottle of far more famous wine, Chateauneuf du Pape.
Not that surprising since it is made just around the corner.
Packed with soft, red fruit and blackcurrant spice, it is a 2021 vintage full of flavour and exudes elegance.
A total steal for the low price and will work well with Christmas dinner or make a great gift.
It is marked down at this special price for just a week so stock up while you can!
RATING: 5/5
Cimarosa Mendoza Malbec, £4.69, Lidl (in store only)
Lidl is selling this popular South American tipple at just £4.69Lidl
THERE is a lot of inexpensive Malbec around so it is a great choice of red to opt for if you are watching the pennies as it does wonderfully well at a lower price point.
This South American bargain bottle from the famous wine region in Argentina is bold and juicy, full of jammy, blueberry fruit and a waft of rich vanilla.
Pretty impressive for the price, this Mendoza marvel will go down a treat with some beef wellington or even enjoyed with a box of chocs during a Boxing Day board game or boxset marathon.
RATING: 4/5
Italiano Vino Rosso d’Italia NV, £4.50, Tesco
This red wine is an ideal versatile accompaniment to a festive mealTesco
IF you are a fan of the famous French red Beaujolais, you will like this quirky, Italian blend – and at this top value price it is worth a try either way.
At just 11.5% ABV and very light-bodied, it tastes of tangy, chocolate-dipped cherries and is a little nimbler than some of the other more intense gluggers.
Terrific with turkey and all the trimmings and very classy drunk with cold cuts.
This would be a great bottle to sip with festive lunches especially as it is a little less boozy.
You could even serve it slightly chilled.
RATING: 3/5
Co-op South African Red, £4.95, Co-op
This Co-op red wine is packed with flavour and will go well with gammonCoOp
CINSAULT is a grape that is becoming increasingly popular as a single varietal wine and in bottles from South Africa, it is showing massive potential.
What this wine lacks in label appeal, it makes up for in flavour and its top value price lower than a fiver.
A refreshing red with tart berry flavours and a hint of smoke.
You will find it is a tad on the rustic side but better if sipped with protein like meat or cheese.
If you happen to have a gammon on the go over Crimbo, this will make an amazing match.
RATING: 2/5
Pierre Jaurant French Pinot Noir, £4.85, Aldi
A winning option from Aldi, and the bottle even looks the partAldi
YET another Christmas cracker red from Aldi, this bargain bottle offers an unusual, cross-regional blend of Pinot with a sneaky splash of Merlot.
The result is a ravishing rouge that is packed full of plummy fruit and silky strawberry flavours.
A real crowd-pleaser, most gluggers would be happy sipping this as it is so easy-drinking and versatile.
The perfect, party wine so stock up for when you have lots of glasses to top up.
This pretty Pinot can easily be drunk on its own but also pairs perfectly with charcuterie or roast lamb.
RATING: 5/5
Morrisons Smooth & Plummy Merlot, £4.69 on offer (was £4.99)
Morrison’s Merlot is low in alcohol, and great for a festive punchMorrisons
EXPECT big and bold flavours from this awesome Aussie red Merlot.
It boasts ripe, liquorice and purple plum flavours.
Brilliant with beef or bangers and mash over the festive period, you could even splash it into your mulled wine with some fruit as well as make a delicious winter punch for your party.
This offering from Morrisons is low in alcohol too, at just 10.5 per cent, even though it doesn’t taste like it – and in my opinion that is a good thing.
An absolute belter of a bottle for this price.
RATING: 4/5
Lateral Cabernet Sauvignon, £4.39, Tesco
Tesco’s Lateral Cabernet Sauvignon is full of flavour and a drink for any night of the weekTesco
FOR a lighter version of a Cabernet Sauvignon, this Tesco offering is a top value wine that offers a contrast to the traditional big, bruising red.
The taste differs from the usual kind, with soft and juicy flavours of ripe blackcurrant as well as an interesting hint of mint.
Perfect to add to your weekday spag bol or serve it up with a Crimbo curry or any dish that is meat-based really.
This bottle is easy-December-drinking and full of flavour for the pretty low price point.
A decent vino, if not exceptional.
RATING: 3/5
Yellowwood Mountain Shiraz, £4.95, Asda
Asda is selling a South African Shiraz at an unbeatable low priceAsda
A SUPER supple and spicy South African Shiraz for under a fiver that gives brilliant bang for your buck at any time of year.
And if you are stocking up for the festive season it is a real bargain.
Pour some to have with beefy roasts with gravy or sausage casseroles and your tastebuds will be absolutely tingling.
Rich, bold and packed with fruits like plum and a touch of spice.
A top value red vino, as are the other bottles in the Yellowwood range, a name worth noting for any value-seeking sippers.
RATING: 4/5