They are, are you? Independent, that is. We tend to concentrate on wines in the high street during the year for the simple reason that we want to make our choices as widely available to as many of you as possible. But the domination of the high street can be too much of a good thing, on occasions leaving you out in the cold when looking for wines of greater interest and personality. While their shops may be local, most good independents that carry the flag for variety, quality and even value, now have efficient nationwide mail order services with a website as their shop window. Now that the Chancellor has effectively made cheaper wines more expensive and brought the price down on wines over £8.80, what better time than in the final few shopping dog days before Christmas to do some independent window shopping for last minute treats.

With 11 London shops between them, Lea & Sandeman and Jeroboams are two treasure troves of excellent wines, and here are two from each. The 2006 Pouilly Fuissé La Verchère Vieilles Vignes from Domaine Daniel Barruaud, £18.95, Lea & Sandeman (020 7244 0522; www.londonfinewine.co.uk) is classic white burgundy, a finely crafted dry white that’s toasty, intensely flavoured, concentrated nutty and mineral, a stylish choice for fishy first courses or a vegetarian Christmas. For the perfect accompaniment to duck or game, the 2006 Rossi di Montalcino, Fuligni Ginestreto, £15.95, delivers the succulent cherry fruitiness of sangiovese with a cleansingly savoury, sour cherry bite to it. At Jeroboams (020 7730 8108; www.jeroboams.co.uk), my white of choice for a starter is the accomplished, smoky, gooseberryish 2006 Hunter’s ‘Kaho Roa’ Sauvignon Blanc, £12.50, a full-flavoured Graves-like Kiwi dry white, and for the mains, a stylish red burgundy in the fraise-du-bois perfumed and opulently juicy, raspberryish 2006 Beaune, Premier Cru Clos du Roi, Domaine Trapet, £24.95.

Still in London at Berry Bros & Rudd (0870 900 4300; bbr.com) another glorious Pouilly-Fuissé in Eve & Michel Rey’s 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé, Terroir de Fuissé, £21.50, very modern in its expressive chardonnay fruit subtly framed by delicate toasty oak and richly concentrated peachiness, showing some restrained, oatmeal-leesy complexity. For a stylishly yet robust red that will stand up to turkey and all the trimmings, I suggest the 2005 Quinta de la Rosa Reserve Red, £22.95, from Portugal’s Douro Valley, a delicious modern red with all the blackberry richness of fruit, smooth texture and spice you’ll need keep family and friends coming back for more – but not too much more.

Head west to Great Western Wine in Bath (01225 322800; www.greatwesternwine.co.uk), the De Sousa Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Reserve, £30, is a wonderfully pure, appetising apéritif style from the Côte des Blancs, a pure chardonnay showing delicate biscuity aromas, seductively creamy rich mousse and dry mineral aftertaste. For a versatile festive red, the 2006 Heartland Dolcetto Lagrein, an Aussie blend from Langhorne Creek, £9.80, is suitably opulent with a cherry and blackberry fruitiness tempered by good fresh almost Italianate acidity. At Tanners in Shrewsbury (01743 234500; www.tanners-wines.co.uk)), their 2005 Pinot Noir by Farr, £18.95, will make a fine fragrant strawberry-rich alternative to red Burgundy, and the 2006 Helmut Lang Chardonnay Beereneauslese, £9.90, half-bottle, a lusciously peachy-fresh alternative to Sauternes with blue cheese or fresh fruit.

Further north, at Adnams (01502 727222; www.adnams.co.uk), their 2006 Christian Auney Château Le Chec, £9.75, is classic Graves from Bordeaux and good value for a dry white blend of subtle smokiness and full-flavoured lemon and lime richness, while the spice, power and robust, dark berry fruitiness 2007 Mas Laval Les Pampres, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault, £9.99, will keep the home fires burning long after Christmas is over. One last point. Since I mentioned last week that Waitrose was halving the £25.99 list price of its Duval-Leroy Champagne from 27 November for a week, the rotters have now changed it to a third off because of heavy demand. They’re back in our good books though because they’ve agreed that this column’s readers will still be able to buy the champagne at the original £12.99 half price offer. Go for it, but hang on to the evidence!

Something For the Weekend 20 December 2008.

Under a Fiver

2007 Moncaro Verdiccio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico.

This mouthwatering dry Italian white made from the local verdicchio grape of the Marche on the Adriatic is delectably juicy and peachy with a mouthwateringly refreshing citrusy acidity that makes it a perfect sipping dry white or shellfish partner. £4.69, Waitrose.

Under a Tenner

2006 Château Soussans

Once again Aldi shows that it can match the big boys for value with this appealing, vivid, modern young claret from Château Deyrem-Valentin in Margaux, whose cedary scents and blackcurrant and blackberry fruit make this Christmas special an unbeatable claret buy at the price. £6.99, Aldi.

Splash Out

2008 Blind River Pinot Noir, £17.99, Oddbins. This beautifully crafted Kiwi pinot noir from Marlborough is rich in scented clove spice and loganberry on the nose, with a beguiling sweet palate whose liquid mulberry fruitiness is satin-silk in texture with a purity of fruit that epitomises the voluptuous best side of pinot noir and its refreshing savoury acidity.

Ends