Christmas doesn’t require ransacking your bank account to feel properly festive.
The secret is knowing where to splurge and where to swap — trading eye-watering luxury for smart alternatives that deliver the same sense of occasion without the financial hangover. A whole goose and grand cru Burgundy might look impressive, but duck legs and Greek xinomavro will taste just as good for a fraction of the cost. Below are five classic pairings reimagined: same indulgence, better value, often less faff. Because Christmas should feel extravagant, not ruinous, and nobody needs to know you’ve just served them champagne’s clever Loire cousin.
Swap lobster and champagne for king prawns and crémant
For that extravagant feel and sparkle — without the wallet-emptying price tag (and frankly, all that cracking mess) — skip the lobster and champagne, and instead grab some jumbo prawns (frozen and raw for value and meaty goodness) to pair with my favourite crémant, which I fondly dub “Bolly on a budget.” Meet Langlois-Chateau Classique Crémant de Loire Bru.
Made by the revered Bollinger family, but over in the Loire, it follows the same Champagne method, using different grapes and undergoing more extensive ageing than most crémant. The result? A spin on that classic Bolly richness, but for less than half the price. The even better news? It’s even cheaper this year than last.
Swap goose and red Burgundy for duck legs with xinomavro
Trade in an expensive whole fatty bird and pricey red Burgundy for easy-to-cook, portion-handy duck legs paired with a delicious Greek xinomavro. I’ve fallen for this wine over the last few years — some call it the barolo of Greece — with its heady perfume and intriguing layers of wild berries, spice, leather, and earth. It’s one of my top picks with duck, especially with berry sauces; I love the synergy between the fruit and smoky flavours in these dishes and this grape will absolutely hit the spot. The Wine Society used to offer a cracking bottle for around the £15 mark, but seem to have sadly stopped it. Still, Waitrose do a bottle at £13, and for only a little more, there’s Apostolos Thymiopoulos’ Xinomavro at Fortnum and Mason. Still much cheaper than a pricey Burgundy.
eric mcnew unsplash
Swap beef Wellington and Bordeaux for a sausage Wellington and luxury boxed malbec
I’ve had my fair share of adventures making sausage Wellingtons over the years, and they’ve never failed to steal the show. A Wellington is always an attention-grabbing centrepiece — especially if you go to town with the latticing — but forgo eye-watering cost (and fuss over perfect pink centres) of a traditional fillet with sausage meat, which is easily jazzed up with a dollop of port jelly or similar. Pair it with an unpretentious, but utterly delicious, smooth red like this luxury canned malbec from Laylo — velvety, fruit-forward, and effortlessly stylish. It once came in a box, but it’s been repackaged — exactly the same liquid, only much, much easier to share around at a party.
Top pick: Laylo Malbec, 12 cans, £44.99 (equivalent £3.75 for a 187ml glass of wine); drinklaylo.com
Swap tarte Tatin and Sauternes for vanilla ice cream with PX Sherry
Few pairings are as lavishly enchanting as tarte Tatin and Sauternes, but if you’re hosting a crowd, skip the expense and effort for something equally luxurious and a bit more playful. Simply pour PX Sherry generously over vanilla ice cream and serve with a little glass of this unctuous sweet wine on the side for good measure. A scoop of ice cream works perfectly, but for extra fun, go for individual mini tubs. PX Sherry is a fortified sweet style — rich and mouth-coating, with flavours of dates, figs, and walnuts — and this pick from Tesco is quality but a bargain.
Top pick: Tesco Finest Pedro Ximenez, £7.50; tesco.com
Laura Jalbert
Swap vacherin and Chablis for brie and New Zealand chardonnay
Rich, oozingly creamy and indulgent cheese paired with a poised white wine with brisk acidity that slaps the tongue really does it for me. I love the way fatty food contrasts with fresh acidity for a scintillating palate ride. If vacherin and Chablis are looking a bit dear after one too many last-minute splurges, swap them for the beloved British favourite brie, and a bottle of Aldi’s Freeman’s Bay chardonnay. While this wine country is better known for its zesty sauvignon blancs, it also produces whites with similar vibrancy. This un-oaked example is elegant, with bright citrus and fresh acidity keeping it all beautifully taut, and this year it’s even cheaper than in 2024.
My pick: Freeman’s Bay New Zealand chardonnay, £7.69, aldi.co.uk
Top tips for wine hosting this Christmas
- Plan quantities: Start with ½ bottle of sparkling, one glass of white or rosé, two glasses of red, and one glass of sweet or port per person. Adjust for thirsty relatives.
- Use universal glassware: I love a one-size-fits-all glass that takes you from sparkling aperitif to dessert wine. Save on washing up and embrace this modern approach to glassware.
- Accessible fizz: Choose something affordable enough to let the fizz flow freely — no need to wince every time a bottle pops. Luxurious doesn’t need to mean expensive.
- Control temperatures: Keep fizz, whites, and sweets in the fridge. Store reds in a cool spot before serving — use a wine fridge if you have one, or pop them outside as long as it’s not freezing.
- Decant reds: Decant young, bold, tannic reds or those with a lot of sediment. Avoid decanting old, delicate reds as it can disrupt their aromas and structure. For the rest, decant if you fancy it.
- Assign a sommelier: Put someone (or a few people) in charge of drinks duty. They’ll make sure everything’s chilled, glasses are topped up, and bottle openers are on hand.
- Stick to fewer wines: Go for one of each style — one sparkling, one white, one red — to avoid ending up with a house blend. Keep some easy-drinking (cheap!) bottles aside for late-night stragglers.
- Embrace sweet and fortified wines: Christmas is the perfect time to revisit these underrated styles, so stock up, indulge and enjoy.
- Stay hydrated and inclusive: Not to sound like your wellness coach, but keep the water flowing, and think about dry guests too. This year, try kombucha and sparkling teas as gastronomic options.
Hachette UK
Charlotte Kristensen is the weekly drinks columnist at You Magazine in The Mail on Sunday, a certified WSET wine educator, and the author of Wine: Taste Pair Pour, a practical and contemporary guide to wine. It focuses on tips for tasting, choosing, serving, and pairing wine with food.