Advice
Buying Wine for Christmas: Expert Tips from Our Director of Wine
When it comes to buying wine for Christmas, there’s nothing more valuable than experience. With more than three decades spent buying wine, travelling the globe and tasting at the source, Liz — our Director of Wine — is the person we turn to for trusted advice, emerging styles and what’s truly worth pouring at the table. We asked Liz to share her tips for buying wine for Christmas Day, focusing on bottles that work beautifully from aperitif through to the main event. Choosing just six wasn’t easy, but after much thought, these are her standout new finds — a list to file away and return to whenever you need a confident recommendation. All six wines are available individually or as a mixed case, ready to ship. Tip 1: Start with a Red That Redefines ExpectationsPomona Chianti“This is the wine that changed perceptions,” says Liz. Tasted earlier this year in Castellina in Chianti, Pomona lifted the bar on what Chianti can be. Balanced, expressive and full of energy, it’s a modern classic that delivers freshness and depth in equal measure. Tip 2: Choose Whites from Cool, Elevated SitesDomaine Buisson Saint-Romain Sous la Velle 2023Liz has long loved Saint-Romain for its high, cool vineyards and crystalline wines. This 2023 captures everything she looks for — freshness, verve and clarity — and comes from a producer she was thrilled to secure after a memorable visit. Tip 3: Don’t Underestimate a “Third Wine”Château Haut Roc 2016Made from younger vines on the same exceptional site as Château Bélair-Monange and in the same winery, this is Bordeaux with real polish. Depth, charm and approachability make it a smart choice when buying wine to please a crowd. Tip 4: Look for Champagne with PersonalityLes Monts Fournois ChampagneFrom the team behind Domaine Bérêche, Les Fournois stood out immediately for Liz. Elegant, refined and genuinely fun to drink, this is Champagne with character — perfect for kicking things off in style. Tip 5: Seek Out Honest, Expressive Rhône WinesDomaine CombierA Northern Rhône discovery that continues to impress. These wines show freshness, balance and purity — immediate yet thoughtful, and a brilliant example of why careful buying wine at the source matters. Tip 6: Finish with a White That Can Age — or Shine NowDomaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu 2023Mineral-driven Chenin Blanc with precision and quiet complexity. Drinking beautifully now, with structure to age, this is a classic table wine Liz returns to time and again. Six Bottles, Expertly Chosen These six wines are just a glimpse into our wider range, but together they cover the Christmas table beautifully. If you’re looking for confidence when buying wine, this is a list worth saving — drawn from decades of expertise and a passion for finding wines that truly deliver.Mixed case of all six bottles available
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Wine Tasting the Best Champagne: The Best Champagne for Celebration and to Impress Your Guests
A Champagne wine tasting dedicated to the very best is always something special — and last week’s event truly lived up to its name. Hosted in the Gallery at Webb’s Auction House, the evening combined Champagne, art, classic cars and motorcycles for a truly memorable celebration. For anyone searching for the best Champagne for celebration, or even affordable Champagnes that taste luxurious, this tasting offered inspiration at every level. With a full house in attendance, Normanby Fine Wines Director of Wine, Liz Wheadon, was joined by T. Sorensen and Zane Winskill to guide guests through an exceptional line-up. The selection spanned styles, vintages, and production scales — showcasing Champagne that can both elevate a milestone moment and serve as Champagne to impress your guests. Tip 1: Start Your Wine Tasting with a Statement Champagne Choosing the opening wine of a Champagne tasting sets the tone — and Liz did not hold back. The first pour was Champagne Paul Bara L’Audacieuse 2016, a striking 100% Chardonnay from a house renowned for Pinot Noir. Sourced from Paul Bara’s tiny one-hectare Chardonnay parcel in Bouzy, this Champagne was chalky, mineral-driven, rare, and utterly compelling. A confident way to begin, and a reminder that the best Champagne for celebration doesn’t always come from the most obvious place. Tip 2: Discover New Producers to Impress Your Guests Next in the line-up was Domaine Les Monts Fournois Montagne Grand Cru Verzy Solera, a fascinating Champagne from the team behind Bérêche, alongside their cousin Juliette. This exciting new project captivated the room and highlighted why discovering emerging producers can be the perfect way to find Champagne to impress your guests. Wines like this deliver complexity, originality, and conversation-starting appeal — often at a more approachable price point than the biggest names. Tip 3: Balance Prestige and Style in a Champagne Wine Tasting From there, the tasting moved seamlessly through icons and insider favourites: Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 – vivacious, lively, and refreshing Champagne Lassalle Spécial Club 2014 – a benchmark Spécial Club wine from a Club de Trésors grower Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2012, presented in its striking Yayoi Kusama label — a Champagne of breadth, depth, and elegance These wines demonstrated how prestige cuvées can anchor a Champagne tasting while still offering stylistic diversity. They also serve as reliable choices when searching for the best Champagne for celebration, especially when hosting a larger gathering. Tip 4: Powerful Styles for Champagne That Leaves a Lasting Impression A natural progression led to Bollinger PN VZ19 — PN denoting Pinot Noir, VZ referencing Verzenay, and 2019 the predominant base year. Powerful, rich, and unmistakably Bollinger, it showcased why Pinot-driven Champagne is often the go-to choice for guests who love structure and depth. This is Champagne to impress your guests — bold, confident, and unmistakably serious. Tip 5: Finish with Icons Side by Side The final pairing was a masterclass in multi-vintage excellence: Krug Grande Cuvée Edition 172, based around the 2016 vintage — a standout edition showing exceptional harmony Henri Giraud Ay Grand Cru “MV” 19, a star of the night, built on the 2019 vintage with its signature Argonne oak spice, vinous texture, and elegance Tasted side by side, these wines highlighted why Champagne remains unrivalled when it comes to complexity, ageing potential, and luxury — even when exploring affordable Champagnes that taste luxurious relative to their quality and craftsmanship. A Perfect Evening of Champagne Wine Tasting This Champagne wine tasting was unforgettable — not only for its extraordinary line-up, but also for the venue itself. Surrounded by art, classic cars, and motorcycles, guests experienced the finest Champagne in a setting that elevated every glass. For those seeking the best Champagne for celebration, Champagne to impress your guests, or simply inspiration for your next tasting, this evening captured everything we love about Champagne. All the wines tasted on the night can be found here
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How to start your wine collection
Starting a wine collection isn’t about having a huge cellar or chasing only rare bottles. It’s about building something personal—something that reflects your taste, your curiosity, and how you like to enjoy wine.
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En Primeur and the current market
The 2024 Bordeaux en primeur campaign reflects a vintage shaped by climatic unpredictability and broader shifts in the global wine market — offering both opportunities and important considerations for those looking to purchase.
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Wine Futures aka En Primeur explained
En Primeur is often referred to as wine futures—a system where wine is purchased while still maturing in barrel, well before it’s bottled and released. While several wine regions around the world offer futures, the term en primeur is most closely associated with Bordeaux.
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