Wine Club: top-flight wines for Christmas from Armit

Mrs Ray has had a minor op on her foot and, temporarily unable to walk, is marooned on the first floor. Don’t worry, I do visit. My dear wife’s exile upstairs does mean, though, that there’s a certain amount of flexibility as to what goes on downstairs. Indeed, I’ve been able to sneak in one or two dear chums for company. They know the drill: back door, shoes off, no ciggies and phones on silent. Several selfless souls even helped me taste these gorgeous, top-flight wines from Armit, chosen specifically with bloody Christmas in mind and each with a gratifying 20 per cent discount.

The 2023 Elena Walch Pinot Grigio (1) is – shock, horror! – a PG of real quality and character. Elena Walch and daughters Julia and Karoline are much admired for their focused approach to sustainable winemaking and their estate is probably the finest in Italy’s Alto Adige. Made from hand-picked grapes grown high in the mountains, the wine’s fermented in steel for freshness and spends time on the lees for oomph. The result is a fresh, fruity, creamy, weighty, glossy Pinot Grigio that makes a mockery of the dross one sees down the pub. £17.34 down from £20.81.

The 2021 Cantele Teresa Manara Chardonnay (2), from quite the other end of Italy, in Puglia, is an utter lip-smacker that brought instant grins to my tasting panel. Founded in 1979 by brothers Augusto and Domenico Cantele, Azienda Vinocola Cantele makes great wines and this, named after their mother, Teresa Manara, is a beauty, fermented and aged partly in steel and partly in oak barrique. It’s mouth-fillingly rich and buttery with plenty of tropical fruit and a hint of seductive butterscotch. £17.51 down from £21.01.