Saying farewell to World Cup with five festive wines

Just over a week or, if you prefer, eight sleeps till the big day.

Which means you'll want me to stick to recommending good wines today rather than sharing my usual witty observations on the inherent absurdity of our fragile existence.

Nor will you wish to be regaled with tales of the idyllic life I share with my darling wife, the enigmatic Madame G., at our lovely home on the north coast, Rose Cottage. No room today for my many piercing, profound and philosophical pensees upon life, the universe and so forth. Or even to debate the finer points of the Protocol.

Fair enough, this week it's straight down to business, which will revolve mainly around the upcoming festive season and the tastiest ways to get even tipsier than normal.

You'll want something sparkly to get your celebrations off to a good start. Why not toast the birth of Our Lord with the invigorating, satisfyingly savoury and aromatic Comte de Senneval Champagne (£12.99, Lidl)? Huzzah! Fresh, fragrant, fruity and impressively bubbly, this delightfully dry champagne is packed with intoxicating citrus and green apple flavours which are expertly complemented by beguiling backnotes suggestive of lemony biscuits. A perfect aperitif.

And to kick off the festive season, just last week we attended a soiree with friends to watch England getting booted out of the World Cup. Our opening course of scallops and black pudding was pleasingly paired with a poor Harry Kane penalty and a fabulous Prosecco - the crisp, complex and refreshing Brut I Duecento (£9.50, the Wine Society, visit www.thewinesociety.com or 01438-741177) which greets you with captivating floral aromas before a richly textured palate full of sharp lime and apple flavours before a clean, dry finish. That's dry, Harry, not sky-high!

If you're entertaining guests, some will want red, some will prefer white and, as with your Christmas gifts, you'll try to give them something that seems much more expensive than it actually is. For lovers of red, today's Wine of the Week, the well-rounded, superbly balanced and intensely fruity 2020 Chateau Gillet (£8, M&S) does a convincing impression of an exceptionally fine claret at just a fraction of the price. Dark fruit aromas alongside subtle spicing dominate a complex palate before a judiciously oaked, lingering finish, it will be an ideal match to poultry or pork dishes.

Lovers of white will thank you very kindly indeed for a glass or two of the tart, tangy and fabulously fragrant 2021 M&S Classics Bourgogne Chardonnay (£10). Theatrically ripe lemon and grapefruit flavours mingle with backnotes of hazelnut in this upbeat and delightfully creamy drop which will go wonderfully well with traditional festive fare and will also be an ideal match to gently spiced Asian cooking.

Last but far from least, today's final selection is the superbly balanced, exuberantly juicy and delicately spiced 2020 M&S Classics Carmenere (currently £9). Well-defined, ripe blackcurrant and plum flavours, a lean, muscular body and an intensely expressive deep garnet hue combine to create a memorably elegant and mellow wine. One for roast beef or game- a partridge or some pheasant, please..

So, as promised, no life lessons today. None of my occasional musings on what it means to be human, which may actually be a blessing. Self-knowledge is, after all, a dangerous thing- the freedom of being who you truly are. Can you imagine it? No? It's a terrifying thought. As for me, I'm more concerned with dealing with the forthcoming withdrawal symptoms from my World Cup addiction than anything else. No more Masterchef either. Perhaps Christmas will prove a welcome distraction. Till next week, tipplers, sante!