You might well be on the wagon for the month of January, but now is a really good time to stock up on wine bargains. If you can resist drinking them, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of all the special offers that are around at this time of year, and buy your wine now for any forthcoming parties, summer dos, or even, if you can bear the thought of it, next Christmas. Don’t delay, as many of these are limited supplies.

Sparkling wines
If you are not fizzed out over Christmas and the New Year, there are some great bubbly bargains around:

Tesco are offering their tangy, strawberry flavoured, Rosé Cava at £4.99, on a buy-two-bottles-get-the-third-free offer which works out at a bargain price of £3.32 per bottle.
Fancy something a lot more grapey and sweet? Then try Co-Op’s Moscato Spumante NV, down from £3.79 to £2.79. This is ideal with puddings and fruit.
For something completely different, try the red Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz 1995, down from £9.49 to £7.99 at First Quench. This is great with spicy and chargrilled dishes.
For solo drinking or when you deserve a special treat, stock up with Marks & Spencer’s handy 20cl (roughly two flutes full) Celebration Champagne, down from £4.49 to £3.49. Perfect for drinking in the bath.

Chile and Argentina
Both these countries are producing great quality, value-for-money wines. So, given these price reductions, they are even better bargains:

Waitrose are selling the stylish Chilean Caliterra Chardonnay at £3.99 (down from £4.79) while Tesco have the richer, oakier Errazuriz Chardonnay Reserve down from £7.99 to £6.99. Or, try Cono Sur Viognier at Somerfield, reduced from £4.99 to £3.99. This grape produces peachy, apricot wines that go well with all sorts of ethnic food.
Somerfield have two brilliant value Argentinian reds, the light fruity Sangiovese down from £4.29 to £3.29, and the spicy, earthy Trivento Syrah down from £3.99 to £2.99.
Tesco Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve at £7.99 down to £6.99 is a rich, full-bodied, robust Chilean red. A great all-rounder, suitable for serving at all sorts of occasions.

France
If you are bored with New World flavours, the January sales area a perfect opportunity to look back to France:

Marks & Spencer are offering their sound, reliable Claret and Burgundy 3-litre boxes reduced from £20 down to £12. You can expect to get 24 glasses out of a box.
Tesco have reduced their Finest Médoc down from £6.99 to £5.99 and First Quench have a reliable claret, Sirius Bordeaux 1997, normally £6.99 a bottle, on a two for £10 deal.
Elsewhere in France, you can take advantage of a great deal on Somerfield’s Vin de Pay de l’Ardèche Blanc, an easy drinking, dry, party wine, down from £3.29 to £2.29.
James Herrick Chardonnay 1999 at Waitrose, reduced from £4.99 to £3.99, is great value and tastes like a richer version of Chablis. This is an ideal dinner party wine.
If you are wondering what to give vegetarian friends, try Co-Op’s Chardonnay Chenin down from £3.99 to £3.29. This is a soft, easy-drinking, party white with melon and pear flavours.

South Africa

Tesco South African Shiraz Cabernet is a full-bodied winter warmer wine and even more palatable now as it is reduced from £4.79 to £3.99. Rock Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon at Marks & Spencer is now priced at £3.99, reduced from £4.99 and is rich with lots of blackcurranty flavours. Its white counterpart, Rock Ridge Chardonnay is also worth investing in at the same price.
First Quench have limited amounts of the easy-drinking, party dry white, KWV Chenin Blanc 2000 at £4.29 on a buy-two-get-one-free offer. You can’t go wrong with this gulpable white at the equivalent of £2.86 a bottle.

For more information about Alice King and her wine-tasting courses, check out www.alicekingwineschool.co.uk