Curious Case December 2025 - Alternative Christmas Classics
Six festive favourites – just from different places.
For this year’s festive Curious Case we’re keeping it classic – just going elsewhere.
Elsewhere means places where the value’s better and you get more wine for your money.
The result? Six wines that look, taste and feel like the Christmas regulars – only this time it’s the whole case that comes in at under £100.
You’d never get close to that if you stuck to the big-name regions.
Let us explain…
Christmas isn’t Christmas without Claret, apparently. South Africa would like a word. They’ve been making Bordeaux blends for centuries, and Zorgvliet Silver Myn Argentum shows how it’s done – proper structure, classic style and a bargain price to boot.
Pinot Noir – Burgundy’s gift to the world of red wine - now grows just about everywhere. Ad Hoc Cruel Mistress Pinot Noir, from a cooler corner of Western Australia, shows it can thrive down under too: supple, bright and perfectly poised for winter drinking.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape has long been a Christmas staple. We’ve gone a little west of the Rhône to the Languedoc for L’Arbre d’Or from Domaine Les Caizergues – generous, spicy and full of warmth, without the price tag that usually comes with it.
Soft oak and gentle spice make Rioja Reserva a familiar comfort at Christmas. Finca Villacreces ‘Pruno’ from Ribera del Duero carries that same easy warmth and polish – Tempranillo again, just from a different part of Spain.
White Burgundy doesn’t come cheap. Vallejo Avenas Chardonnay captures the idea nicely – rich yet balanced, a touch of oak, and enough freshness to keep things lively. Spain rather than the Côte d’Or, but the resemblance is clear.
And for the Chablis slot, look across the Channel. Simpson’s Gravel Castle Chardonnay proves that English still wine can now stand alongside Chablis much as English Sparkling does with Champagne – crisp, mineral and assured, with chalk soils and cool climate providing all the right ingredients.
If you fancy a different take on the Christmas classics, this month’s Curious Case should do nicely.
