Buy buy buy!

(by peter & susie)

Just like the piped music and tinselly shopping grottos, the festive price wars seem to be starting earlier than ever this year. (Mind you, we were tasting wine in Santa hats beside a Christmas tree in June for What Food What Wine, so we’re seasonally confused anyway.)

So if you’re forward-thinking enough to want to start stocking up on festive booze, or are just looking out for some great value autumn drinking, we’ve got a few tips for you.

Sainsbury’s are offering 25% off when you buy six bottles on all champagne, sparkling and fortified wine from Friday 19th October to Sunday 28th October (excludes Scotland). The offer applies on top of any existing discounts.

We’d recommend going for the following:

  • Sainsbury’s Blanc de Blancs Brut NV, down from £22.49 to £11.25
  • House Corbières NV, £3.99 down to £2.99 – surely one of the all-time high street bargains
  • Mayu Syrah Reserva 2009, £9.99 down to £7.49
  • House Dessert Wine NV, 37.5cl, £3.99 down to £2.99

Marks & Spencer are also gearing up for the exact same offer – 25% off when you buy six bottles or more – but theirs runs from 29th October until 11th November. Again, the offer applies on top of existing discounts. Try the following:

  • Louis Chaurey Champagne NV, £30 down to £11.25
  • Prestige Cava Brut NV, £8.99 down to £5.25
  • Fiano Sannio 2011, £7.99 down to £5.99
  • Honeycomb Journey’s End Chardonnay, £8.99 down to £6.74
  • Montlouis sur Loire les Tuffeaux Demi Sec 2009, £18.99 down to £14.24
  • Negroamaro 2011, £6.49 down to £4.87
  • Cadet de Ka 2008, £8.49 down to £6.37
  • Carmagnole Prestige Caramany 2011, £9.99 down to £7.49
  • Santenay les Charmes 2008, £14.99 down to £11.24
  • Lucero Syrah 2010, £15.99 down to £11.99
  • Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2001, £14.99 down to £11.24

Another supermarket – one of Britain’s biggest – is following suit with the same offer in early November but has embargoed the details so it will have to wait…

In the meantime, enjoy!