Kicking off with a very reasonably priced Australian Pinot Noir has to be a good way to start any new year. It should also be a welcome one if you want a lighter red after the heavyweight festivities, or if you want to hunker down in the northern hemisphere, but with thoughts of summer rather than winter

Made from 55-year-old vines at the historic Château de Pizay estate in an outstanding vintage for Beaujolais, this 2023 Régnié is beautifully expressive, with a lustrous deep ruby-red colour and succulent cassis and strawberry fruit. It could be on the table on Christmas day and would make a great red wine for Boxing Day.

This deliciously refreshing, dry Argentinian pet nat wine is a crowd pleaser that would appeal to Champagne, Prosecco, Crémant, Cava and traditional-method sparkling wines from England, South Africa, Australia et al

This Rioja Reserva has already featured in my Festive Red Wine Guide 2025, but it’s so good, so appropriate for Christmas and also relatively widely available that I’m revisiting it here