If Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the quintessential (if overpriced) Christmas red, as I suggested last week, what's the ultimate Christmas white? There's nothing that ticks quite as many boxes, but I guess most people would turn to chablis.
Personally, I regard it as a bit light for turkey, but if you're looking for a wine for fishy starters or a Christmas Eve fish pie, it totally hits the spot. Pay a little extra for a good name such as Billaud-Simon, whose pure mineral 2012 Chablis, although young, is a treat (£14.95 at h2vin.co.uk, £14.99 at Hennings, £16 at Planet of the Grapes; 12.5% abv; welovefinewines.com has the 2011 for £11.99).
For turkey, I would pick a richer style of white burgundy or similar cool-climate chardonnay. Oddbins has two from Verget: a well-priced, rich, buttery Macon Charnay (£14.75; 13% abv) and a particularly luscious, creamy Pouilly Fuissé (£23; 13% abv), both from the 2011 vintage (they may still have some 2010s in store, but I'd go for the 11s).
Sauvignon blanc, particularly New Zealand sauvignon, is still the most popular white out there, but if you think you'll expire from boredom if you have to drink another glass, try Tesco's Finest Slovenian Sauvignon Furmint 2012 (£7.99; 12.5% abv), which adds a gorgeous aromatic lift to an attractively citrussy sauvignon base. It's one of the most delicious and original whites I've tasted this year. The perfect glass for the hard-pressed cook, I'd say, or for Asian-style salads and fish dishes.
Another great seafood white is the quirkily named Fossil 2012 (14% abv), from the Lisboa region of Portugal, a crisp, sauvignon-ish blend of arinto, gouveio and fernao pires (£8.50 from Asda's new online Wine Shop).
I also like to have a couple of bottles of riesling stashed away – the vinous equivalent of eating a zesty salad or a Thai curry after days of over-rich food. Chile might sound a surprising source, but I've come across some really good ones lately, including the bright, zesty Leyda Riesling Reserva 2011 (£7.99 if you buy two from Majestic; 13.5% abv), which will freshen your palate with a lively streak of lime.
Finally, a richer aromatic white: Plein Sud Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2012 from the go-ahead Vignerons d'Estézargues (£9.95 from Roberson, £8.96 if you buy six; 14% abv), an attractively peachy blend of roussanne and viognier that would liven up the Boxing Day leftovers. Yup, I'm thinking coronation turkey.
