13 Best Luxury Red Wines For Winter

Love Bite is more than just a pretty label. Low intervention and 100% vegan, it's a light cinsault from South Africa's Stellenbosch region. Yes we know it's red, but it's oh-so-juicy, so we recommend serving it chilled alongside your Sunday lunch.

We don't think a wine rack is complete until it houses a great everyday rioja — and we've found it in this delectable reserva. Aged in American oak for 20 months, it's bold, with bags of black fruit, a little mushroom and a whiff of smoke.

A firm favourite with the testing panel, it pairs with everything from smoky chorizo risotto to dark chocolate.

New wave, small-batch winemaker RedHeads is responsible for this dark, spiced and alluring Australian shiraz. According to the company, it hunts down fruit that would have been added to big name blends, and lets it shine in its own right as a single varietal wine instead.

With black cherry and black pepper, there’s some liquorice and a hint of anise too, and we think its full-bodied nature would work a treat with steak.

Showcasing the 2016 vintage at its very best, this Bordeaux is velvety-smooth – and makes for very easy drinking. Flavour-wise, you can expect a more savoury-leaning drop, with light red fruit, roasted coffee and plenty of leathery depth.

A stellar choice to pair with earthier flavours (we’re talking truffle tagliatelle topped with chestnuts, or venison with buttery mashed potatoes).

Barbacàn hand harvests Nebbiolo grapes from vineyards near the Swiss border to create this red – and it's worth all the extra effort. Our panel likened it to the ‘taste of ripe summer strawberries’ with a ‘light floral note’ and touch of spice that, together, made for very easy drinking.

The fruit-forward aroma is a dream pairing for buttery Alpine cheeses, such as Tête de Moine and Vacherin Mont-d’Or.

This red will see you through the Christmas season and beyond, thanks to its crowd-pleasing aroma of ripe red fruit (blackcurrant, cherry and stewed plum), heady sweet spice and long, velvety finish.

This is a decadent red made with winter weather in mind; on the nose, there’s rich plum, dark chocolate and coffee, while the palate adds a complex oak character to the party.

Extremely food-friendly, it will pair with all the classic dishes – such as roast lamb – as well as spicier tapas and sundried tomato orzo.

This Valpolicella Ripasso is in a league of its own. Why? Because Domini Veneti’s winemakers took the genius decision to re-ferment the wine with skins leftover from making Recioto (a bold Italian dessert wine), to reach new levels of complexity.

Intense and spicy with rich black fruit and a lighter cocoa note to finish, this is an exceptional option for weddings if you’re serving beef of any kind.

This complex Australian number is made in the Bordeaux style and spans a range of flavour notes, from menthol and eucalyptus to rich cocoa. For that reason we'd pair it with a slow-cooked ragu, for a cosy night in.

Renowned Australian wine-maker Penfolds pointedly sources only the best grapes from the very best regions to put into its wines. This one uses shiraz and cabernet sauvignon grapes from across South Australia to create a soft and herbal wine.

Our panel loved its fruity, plum-laden sweetness, balanced with notes of vanilla, star anise and a little smoke. Match and draw out its smoked notes by pairing it with charcuterie and cheese.

Looking for a party-ready wine to have on hand throughout the season? Make it this. Selected for Harvey Nichols and made from 40-year-old merlot vines, it’s moreish and fruity, while a whiff of leather and oak adds real depth that belies the affordable price tag.

Californian cabernet sauvignons are rightly known for their bold, fruit-forward yet easy-drinking style — and this one is no exception.

Aged in both French and American oak to give it added complexity, look out for jammy blackberry, black cherry and plum, wrapped up in a luscious mouthfeel. Some menthol and chewy tannins give it a satisfyingly dry finish.