DW Wine Club Member Price: $449

Jean-Marc Diffonty’s flagship red is a rich, opulent, no-holds-barred style of Châteauneuf. It offers layers of dark, smoky, red berry fruit complexity, with a rich seam of spice. From the superb 2021 vintage, it scored 92-94 points from Decanter.

L’Épiphanie de Pauillac is the latest of our secret releases from iconic Bordeaux châteaux. It hails from Pauillac’s top tier – a Premier Grand Cru Classé estate. There are only three in the appellation: Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour. We guarantee this wine is from one of them. It isn’t their Grand Vin, of course, but it’s made from the same fruit by the same winemaker and housed in the same barrels. Yet it costs less than 1/16th of the Grand Vin’s price.

L’Épiphanie de Pauillac has blackcurrant, cherry and ripe plum infused with subtle spice, cedar and cigar box notes. These classic aromas combine with firm tannins for a complex wine with a long finish. By all means open a bottle now, but cellaring will pay dividends.

The Rapeneau family has been producing Champagne for over a century and oversee the production of the Louis Dumont label.

Now 4th generation, they are committed to high quality through understanding the nuances of the various subregions.

With five main grape growing areas in Champagne, careful selection of the grapes is a major influence on the style of the fizz.

Louis Dumont is a delicious, fruit-forward bubbly, ready to be enjoyed. It’s crafted from grapes from Vallée de la Marne – known for its fruity Pinot Meunier and peachy Chardonnay – and Côtes des Bars, with its reputation for full-flavoured, ripe Pinot Noir.

It’s a Pinot-dominated blend, brimming with red fruit flavour, refreshing citrus, and classic brioche notes. Chill and enjoy.

Its vineyards are nearly all planted to Merlot, with a small amount of Cabernet Franc, and tended with meticulous care. As you can see from critics' scores, it is an admired claret and one that ages very well too. Matured in French oak (50% new), it has structure and length, but above all an appealing depth of luscious fruit and spice – like Christmas in a glass! It’s a luxurious sipper, ideal with cheese after the Christmas feast. “Spiced plums and cocoa-dusted blueberries ... Succulent" (James Suckling, 94pts)

Over 170 years of experience have gone into the making of this ripe tangerine and toasted brioche Champagne.

It's the work of 5th-generation winemaker Julian Fourrier, whose father, Philippe, created this special cuvée in honour of his wife, Brigitte. Her maiden name was Delmotte.

The grapes are a classic blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay taken from vineyards first planted by Philippe and Brigitte.

All the family's 18 hectares of vines lie within Champagne's little known Côte des Bar, described by Wine Folly as "the hottest Champagne region right now".

Made traditionally, this fine fizz was aged four years on its lees to enhance its rich toasty flavour.

Presented in a handy half bottle - perfect as a celebratory bottle for two!

This is one of those 'under-the-radar' regions I love to search out, home to the finest quality wines, but not so well-known. As Wine International says, "If it weren't for the [political] line dividing Castillon from Saint-Émilion, its wines would be twice the price. The hills are the same, the soil is the same, the exposure is the same." The estate has won over 150 awards, including the Paris Lauréat Prix d'Excellence – not once, but twice – and Decanter magazine calls it the "leading estate in the Côtes de Castillon". La Clarière is our flagship wine and absolutely no expense is spared. Low yields, careful hand-sorting, months ageing in the finest new French oak, and rigorous tasting ensure only the best parcels become La Clarière. Mostly Merlot, silky, elegant, and supple, with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon for structure, and slightly portioned Malbec and Cabernet Franc for balance. It's truly magnificent!