Oz Clarke

Lyrarakis Dafni 2015 / If you’re the type who wants to cuddle down to something reliable and predictable this Christmas – look away now. Because my budget white is a wild, wild wine with flavours stolen from swirling breezes among the rosemary bushes and pine trees scattered across the hills of Crete. Deep, soft, scented, and truly dry in the modern Greek tradition – if this won’t bring back midsummer memories in the depths of winter – nothing will. And anyway – who could resist a wine called Daphne?

Contino Rioja Reserva 2011 /  Contino is a fabulous operation. Rioja has until recently always been about blending various batches of wines together. Contino was the first ever single vineyard wine made at its own estate winery, and it is still one of the best Riojas you can get. It’s so utterly smooth and easy to drink, yet it has a fascinating, ever-changing flavour of cranberries, raspberries, blueberries and spice that keeps you enthralled to the last drop.