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DRINKS

The 42 best wines for Christmas: what to serve friends and family

Will Lyons sifts through a bumper festive crop of the best champagne, fizz, whites, reds and stickies

The Sunday Times

1. 2017 Vintage Cava, Aldi, £6.49, Spain
For budget Christmas fizz, Aldi’s cava ticks all the right boxes. It has a savoury, refreshingly dry herbaceous depth to its flavour, married with crisp white apple. A winner paired with smoked salmon.

2. NV Crémant de Loire Brut, Lidl, £8.49, France
Ideal well-priced crémant for parties and when the neighbours pop in for a drink. Light and citrussy with plenty of white fruit and apple on the palate, it finishes softly and slips down a treat with nibbles.

3. NV Classics Crémant de Bourgogne Brut, Marks & Spencer, £10, France
An interesting bottle-fermented crémant produced in Burgundy from a crowded blend that includes aligoté and gamay. It’s crisp and dry, with satisfying weight — and plenty