The best drinks for the festive season

From the main course to the pudding, wine columnist Leslie Williams has the perfect drinks list for the festive season 

CHRISTMAS is the one time of year everyone thinks hard about what wine they will have with dinner. If you have a large family gathering around your table remember that you are highly unlikely to please everyone so I’m recommending a different wine with every course. You will note that I don’t mention Argentinian Malbec or Marlborough Sauvignon so if your guests really want either of these wines of the moment, encourage them to bring their own bottles. The wines and drinks I suggest below are just as on-trend and worth a try at any time of year.

First up are party wines; ideally you will want a crowd pleaser that will also serve as a match for turkey sandwiches.