The best buys from the 10 at £10 offer at Waitrose, December 2020

Waitrose is running its annual 10 wines under £10 offer until December 16th. All are good reductions but, in my view, having tasted them, some are better than others. Here’s what I’d go for, assuming they’re in stock - some are already out of stock online

Best whites

Esprit de Chablis Premier Cru 2018 originally £17.99

A really big reduction on this classic Chablis which is drinking well now but will easily keep a couple of years. Think simply prepared seafood like oysters, scallops and grilled or panfried fish. *****

Hauts de Perrière Pouilly Fumé 2019 originally £16.79

Another good classic - crisp elegant sauvignon blanc from the Loire. Also good with seafood like prawns and especially smoked salmon ****

Best reds

Cave de Tain Grand Classique Crozes Hermitage 2018 originally £15.99

If you’re a fan of Northern Rhone syrah this young Crozes is a steal from the ultra-reliable Cave de Tain. Drink with a steak or even a winter barbecue *****

Bodegas Manzanos El Piadoso 2011 Gran Reserva originally £16.99

A brilliant price for a gran reserva and still quite vibrant despite its age. Would be great with roast lamb, game or a cheeseboard. *****

Luigi Bosca Seleccion de Vistalba Malbec 2018 originally £16.99

Lusciously rich and velvety - ideal for malbec-lovers though there is a fair amount to chose from around the £10 mark. Drink with steak, obviously but roast beef too. ****

Also worth considering

Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico 2016 originally £13.99

A pukka-looking mature chianti - smooth and elegant. Would go with an Italian style roast or steak, lasagne or a good ragu. ***

Chateau Muret 2012 Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois originally £14.99

If you’re a fan of mature Bordeaux this should hit the spot. Past the first flush of youth (aren’t we all?) and quite tannic and oaky though so needs to be drunk with food. A good wine for a Sunday roast ***

Mirabeau Pure Rosé 2019 originally £14.99

According to Waitrose’s latest trends report we’re drinking rosé all year round these days so if you like that classic pale pink Provençal style it's worth snapping up at this price. Pretty bottle too. Good with party-type food (appreciating we’re not having parties this Christmas) or mildly spicy food. ***

Kopke Reserve Tawny Port originally £14.99

Not as good as tawny ports with an age statement (e.g. 10 or 20 years old) but quite a bit cheaper. Warming, spicy and sweet - would be good with mince pies or chocolate. Looks the part too

And I personally wouldn’t bother with

Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir originally £15.99

A decent reduction on this stylishly packaged Aussie bubbly but it’s a bit thin and not as good as it was a couple of years ago. Buy a cheap bottle of champagne instead.

Six of the best reds to buy from Tesco

Tesco has 25% off six bottles of wine running through until December 1st 2020, a deal it would be worth taking advantage of if you’re stocking up for Christmas. (Note though that the offer does not apply to Tesco Express or branches in Scotland so check the exclusions - and the vintages. I'm only recommending ones I've recently tasted.)

Here are six reds that I think represent great value:

Madfish Shiraz 2018 on offer at £7 so £5.25 on this deal

A fresh peppery shiraz from Western Australia rather than the usual Barossa. Still quite substantial though at 14.5%. Would actually go really well with turkey or the Christmas ham. A bargain at this price.

Tesco finest* Côtes du Rhône Villages Signargues 2019 - on offer at £7 and £5.25 on this deal.

If you’re a fan of Côtes du Rhône you’ll love this warm generous spicy red from the village of Signargues. Think hearty stews and sausages. Another fantastically good deal.

2018 Paco by Paco & Lola red down from £12 to £9 on this deal

This stylishly labelled juicy young Spanish red from Navarra is a blend of garnacha and tempranillo and would be a good wine to drink with tapas or the Boxing Day spread. The accompanying crisp white Paco & Lola albarino 2019 which is made from the on-trend albarino grape would also be a great buy but is only available in 292 branches and online which may be a problem if you can’t get a delivery slot by the 1st. Terrific match for seafood though.

DV Catena Cabernet Franc Historico 2018 down from £12 to £9 on this deal

Exceptionally classy cab franc from Argentina that bears favourable comparison with red Bordeaux. Would be great with roast beef or steak.

Latis Reserve Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 down from £10 to £7.50 on this deal

Two terrific wines from the south of France made by a French winemaker Herve J Fabre who worked in Argentina for many years which gives them quite an Argentinian character. Both would go with beef or lamb. Great value at this price though I wouldn’t baulk at paying £10 for them. (I’m not as impressed by the sauvignon blanc in the same range FWIW)

Wine of the Week: Punta de Vacas Malbec 2020

You may remember a while back I recommended a couple of wines from Berkmann Cellars who were selling wine to raise money for the hospitality industry. Well, they’re doing it again during the current lockdown and sent me a couple of wines from their range to try.

This is the wine I chose - a gutsy malbec from Bodega Norton, an Argentinian winery I’ve always liked and which I think represents really good value for money. It’s from the most recent 2020 vintage so it’s very young and vibrant but at 13.5% not over-alcoholic - soft and rich without being flabby and just thoroughly enjoyable to drink with a plate of pasta (which is what I did! With a gorgonzola sauce in my case).

If you like malbec and feel like topping up your stocks in the run up to Christmas why not buy it from the Help for Hospitality website. It’s only £9.50 a bottle of which 20% goes to the hospitality industry

Here's an explanation of how the scheme works from the Help for Hospitality team

You can order your wine through our Help 4 Hospitality online shop where you can find an exclusive selection of restaurant-quality wines, as well as pre-selected mixed cases and spirits. All our products will be delivered to your home without any extra costs (minimum order £95).

For this second lockdown, we have increased our financial support to the hospitality industry: we will donate 20% of your ex-VAT order value to support businesses and individuals affected by the lockdown. The donations from our Help 4 Hospitality shop go towards either participating hospitality accounts, or two industry charities who provide grants to hospitality workers in need: The Drinks Trust and Hospitality Action. By using a voucher code during check-out, you can select the hospitality outlet you’d like to support - you can view them via the banner at the top of the Help 4 Hospitality website - and you will receive a 10% discount on your purchase.

Orders will be delivered within five working days nationwide, or the next working day within London.

The campaign is set to continue through December, when the restrictions on hospitality outlets are due to be lifted.

The Help 4 Hospitality shop is online at www.help4hospitality.co.uk

10 wines under £10 to buy from the current Waitrose offer

Waitrose has got one of its 25% off 6 bottle deals - probably the last before Christmas. While it’s not somewhere you would automatically head for a bargain it does bring a substantial amount of their range down under £10 (though I’ve included one that’s just over)

Not every wine appears to be on their website - some are only on waitrosecellar.com and may only be available online. The otfer does not apply in branches in Scotland, Wales or Jersey, motorway service stations, Welcome Break or petrol stations. There is also a charge for click and collect if you spend under £100 and £5.95 on delivery if you spend under £150. It ends on Tuesday November 10th.

Chateau Capenendu La Cornelle Corbières 2018 £5.24 down from £6.99

Robust hearty Languedoc red - perfect for warming winter stews

Tierra Sagrada Tinto, La Mancha 2019 £5.24 down from £6.99

Good price for an organic red. Bright, juicy, smashable. Good all-rounder

De Bortoli 17 Trees shiraz 2019 £7.49 down from £9.99

If your taste runs more to new world reds try this appealing juicy Aussie shiraz. You could even chill it lightly.

Herbarium Grenache Domaine Jean-Marc Astrum 2019 £7.49 down from £9.99. Online only

Gloriously exuberant grenache from one half of Languedoc power couple (his wife is winemaker Katie Jones who has her own label). Again one for braises and stews. His Fitou is great too.

Cantina del Nebbiolo d’Alba 2018 £9.74 down from £12.99

Elegant, mellow, autumnal - what Barolo should be and seldom is - certainly not at this price. Ideal for game like partridge and pheasant

Plan del Bichi Vermentino 2019 £7.49 down from £9.99

I never quite understand why vermentino hasn’t taken off - it’s such a food-friendly white with far more character than pinot grigio. Antipasti, light fishy or vegetable-based pasta dishes and risottos

Kaapzicht Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2019 £10.49 down from £13.99

Chenin blanc is underrated but this South African white has a similar richness to a good white burgundy. Drink with scallops or a creamy fish pie.

Pere Ventura Cava down to £9.74 from £12.99

I recommended this the other day - definitely a cut above the average supermarket cava with a real touch of elegance. Lay a few in for Christmas.

Williams and Humbert Alegria Manzanilla down to £4.12 from £5.49 a half bottle

Honestly it’s tempting to make up your entire six bottles from Manzanilla - at just over £4 a half bottle it’s a RIDICULOUSLY good deal. As are many other sherries in the age though I’m gutted to find out that I’ve missed out on the quite brilliant On The QT Vintage Oloroso from Gonzalez Byass which is sadly out of stock. Worth checking next week though to see if they’ve got any more