BOOTHS

This family-owned supermarket with branches in Yorkshire and the North West is often said to be posher than Waitrose. It certainly has high standards: while the wines here might be in a higher price bracket than some I’ve recommended from elsewhere, that’s because they are also a few notches up in quality.

The Booths own-label range is both smart to look at and almost universally reliable; some wines are available via Amazon Fresh, but Booths doesn’t sell online directly, so if you live near a branch, lucky you. There’s one in my hometown, so at Christmas I will be stocking up on the brilliant E H Booth & Co Douro Red 2019, Portugal (13.5%, Booths, £11), which is made by Quinta de la Rosa and is new to the range – think claret with a wild side and more juice – and E H Booth & Co Gran Norte Rioja Crianza 2018, Spain (14.5%, Booths, £10.50).