Can’t find any champers? Try a sparkling saké

This year, more than any other, we are looking forward to full-on festivities. so hearing our favourite Christmas tipples may run out, due to an HGV driver shortage and supply chain issues is the last news we need.

it could be tricky to stock up on such party essentials as Champagne, New Zealand sauvignon blanc and Californian Zinfandel. so concerned are the owners of brands including Laurent Perrier and Moet & Chandon, that 49 drinks industry bosses have written to Transport secretary Grant shapps asking him to step up efforts to solve the problem.

Best, surely, to take pre-emptive action by adopting an adventurous approach and ditching your old favourites for alternatives that taste as good, cost the same or less — and will surprise your guests to boot!

From Lebanese reds to Japanese fizz, here’s our guide to the most stylish swaps for the party season.

HEAD TO FAR EAST FOR NEW FAVOURITE FIZZ

CHAMPAGNE harvests have been affected by bad weather — they’re down an estimated 30 per cent — so shortages caused by transport issues this Christmas may well be the precursor to limited production next year, too. in other words, there’s never been a better time to find a new favourite fizz. Keep the corks popping with a bottle of this . . . Morrisons The best english sparkling brut, £25, Morrisons An ASTONISHINGLY good english vintage sparkling wine, aged for eight years, which rivals anything the Champenois can produce. it has complex brioche aromas on the nose and proper depth of flavour with trademark citrus, green apple. 5/5 Atago No Matsu ‘Waiting Love’ sparkling saké, £15.99, totneswine.com SPARKLING saké is dangerously drinkable. it matches champagne’s clean, fine bubbles thanks to a second fermentation in the bottle. Taste-wise, it has a whisper of sweetness, but none of the cloying brassiness of many proseccos. Pairs well with savoury and sweet. 4.5/5

BIN BORING BURGUNDY

a Good Chardonnay such as a white Burgundy is a byword for quality and a stalwart for entertaining, especially for the richer Christmas dishes.

on top of problems caused by transport and tariffs, however, Burgundian vineyards have also suffered from poor weather, which means it’s time to raise a glass to a different region.

Those who like a medium to full-bodied white with a lovely mineral finish will love . . . Journey’s end Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay 2021 stellenbosch south Africa, £8.99, Marks & spencer deeply aromatic with notes of grapefruit and peach leaf and a rounded, almond-rich, mineral finish. This south african Chardonnay has been aged eight months on French oak, bringing extra resonance. 4/5 specially selected Cotes du Jura, £7.99, Aldi

Made from 100 per cent Chardonnay, this stylish tipple — from the mountainous French region east of Burgundy, which has been less affected by the poor weather — is rich and elegant, with intense peach and apricot aromas complemented by nutty and mineral notes. it makes a lovely accompaniment to fish, chicken or turkey. 3/5

CHUCK OUT THE CLOUDY BAY

AMONG your guests, there will always be fans of fresh, crisp-as-fresh-snow, New Zealand sauvi- gnon blanc with its copious quantities of citrus tang. yet, transport issues apart, Cloudy Bay has become somewhat passé and pricey. dare to be different this year . . . broadbent Vinho Verde NV, £12.99, 9elmswines.co.uk The best Portuguese Vinho Verde can be refreshingly zesty with lots of orchard fruit — and this is really rather special. Bright yellow in colour, it has suggestions of gooseberry, passion fruit, melon and a note of honeysuckle on the nose. To taste, it’s round and mellow with green apple and a touch of lychee and melon rind, as well as plenty of finesse and a gentle effervescence. it’ll surprise your guests with its sophistication. 4/5 Classics No. 30 gruner Veltliner Weingut Rabi, £8.50, Marks & spencer Austria’s foremost white grape variety makes a good change from sauvignon blanc, offering a little more spice. There is fresh citrus and hints of white pepper, with superb citrus and orchard fruit flavours and a racy, mineral edge. it goes well with seafood — so stock up on a bottle or two for the smoked salmon. 4.5/5

RAISE A GLASS OF ROMANIAN RED

WINE enthusiasts often crave powerful and medium-full-bodied reds such as Californian Zinfandel, which has plenty of jammy, red fruit flavours.

however, Zinfandel fans may need to source alternatives as weather and transport factors could make supply unstable. snap up one of the new kids on the block instead . . . blueprint Romanian Pinot Noir, £5.99, Waitrose Romanian wines are causing great excitement at the moment, and this elegant offering has a very agreeable price, too. Full of juicy red berry characteristics, it has a hint of savoury complexity and tannic bite, with cherry and raspberry on the palate, and a gentle sweetness to the finish. a crowd-pleaser with turkey or goose and a good match for stilton. 3/5 specially selected Lebanese Red, £7.99, Aldi Deep crimson with aromas of blackberry, cassis and black cherry, this inexpensive aldi wine — a surprise success for the supermarket — would stand up well to a rib of beef. 3.5/5

GO GREEK FOR A PRESTIGE POUR

a Rich mature Cabernet sauvignon from Bordeaux is a pricey treat, and is synonymous with Christmas roasts and cheeses. But there are plenty of non-Gallic alternatives to this prestige pour that could prove easier to come by. Kokotos estate Cabernet sauvignon-Merlot from stamata, Attiki 2017, £27, maltbyandgreek.com a REAL find with its intense, deep ruby colour and complex bouquet of red fruits, prunes, spice and tobacco, it tastes robust with a fruity, dark chocolate aftertaste. Will more than hold its own with the cheeseboard. 4/5 Found Pais, Chile, £9, Marks & spencer FROM the rediscovered Pais grape from Chile’s southern itata Valley, this easy-drinking, vivacious red, with aromas of black cherry and a hint of anise, is medium bodied with gently stewed plum on the palate and an undertow of spice. it has a smooth finish that packs a punch and would be great with all the festive trimmings. enjoy! 3/5

Terrifying news! Festive tipples are in short supply. But never fear, SUDI PIGOTT hunts down wine swaps so fab you won’t go back