Choosing wines for Christmas dinner

Goose duck and game
You need a rich full-bodied red to complement game. Anything made from the Syrah or Shiraz grape is ideal. Tesco’s new French La Baume Syrah is good value at £4.99. Much more pricey but worth is it is the Australian Tatchilla Foundation Shiraz 1998, (Majestic, £14.99). I recently drunk this with duck and the combination was fantastic.

Beef, lamb or pork
Here, I’d suggest a really good Merlot, which is the mainstay grape of St-Emilion. But as these famous clarets are pretty expensive, try a Chilean version. One of the best I’ve tasted recently is Cono Sur Merlot 2000, rich and chocolate-like and a bargain from Tesco at just £4.99. Pour this into a decanter and your guests will probably thing there are drinking a much more expensive French wine.

Vegetarian
Safeway have a great range of organic wines, which are often favoured by vegetarians. Their own-label organic Sancerre is crisp, elegant and good value at £7.99. Or try their earthy red Chinon Chateau de Coulaine 1999 (£5.99). This can be served chilled and tastes good with spicy vegetarian dishes.

Christmas pudding
If you’re not a fan of really sticky sweet whites why not try a medium dry fizz instead? Sainsbury’s Demi-Sec Champagne (£12.99) is rich and creamy with nutty overtones.

Or be even more daring and dry a sparkling red with your Christmas pud. Tesco’s list the excellent blackcurrant and spicy Banrock Ridge Sparkling Shiraz (£7.99), which not only tastes good but with its deep red colour, looks festive too.

Have a great Christmas.