What's the mainstay of a Christmas party of the most popular sort - a casual gathering for drinks and nibbly food? A decent, quaffable red wine, now that retailers report party consumption of red and white in the ratio of 3:2. Why plump for obvious old Cabernet when you could have something much more interesting, like Chateau Baronis Corbieres 1994 (Mitchells, £5.99)? It's spicy, slightly earthy, nicely mature and light enough to keep guests animated rather than comatose. Best with something to nibble at.