Whisky, rum, port and sherry: the best Christmas fortified wines and spirits

David Williams on the drinks to keep that cosy winter feeling through Christmas to the new year

Christmas taste test: the best party food and booze

From champagne and smoked salmon to paté and negronis – ranked by Fred Sirieix

There is no other time of the year that is so completely enveloped in aromas. No wonder our memories are in overdrive

High street bargains, best value buys – and reds, whites and fizz to splash out on, chosen for Observer Food Monthly

From gin joints in the west country to whiskies with Highland panoramas – readers vote for their favourite places to drink

Lambrusco, muscadet, Bull’s Blood: after years of neglect, some wines have returned as retro-vintage stars

The best places to holiday include California and Alsace, where welcoming producers and well-developed wine routes offer something for everyone

Cookery writer Gizzi Erskine tastes and rates high-street sparkling rosés, mojitos and gins in tins

Some reds are better after a spell in the fridge – and some whites are often served just too cold

Bargains and best buys for barbecues, picnics and long, lazy lunches

Fashionable techniques, such as whole bunch fermentation, are bringing an extra dimension to winemaking

Irresistible, experimental but definitely grown-up, the new Australian wines that are well worth embracing

Bad news from Oddbins is offset by the rise of specialist indies and supermarkets upping their game

Whether your priority is what’s on the plate or what’s in the bottle, always keeps thing balanced

The rise of the grape that’s at its best on mountain slopes is an epic tale