HERE are some suggestions for party drinks over Christmas and New Year. Enjoy!

Cocktails make a splendid choice for social gatherings. Try this recipe using an old favourite, Harveys Bristol Cream, Spain (£7.50, 75cl, Asda). Sherry is enjoying a revival and this blend is sweet and rich with raisin, while the full-bodied style makes it an ideal mixer.

Harvey’s Frosted Apple and Ginger

50ml Harveys Bristol Cream

50ml premium pressed apple juice

Ginger ale

Fill a highball glass with ice, pour over Harveys and apple juice. Slowly top up with ginger ale, swirl with a cinnamon stick and leave in the glass. Garnish with mint and apple slices.

If you’re in the market for a versatile white that bridges the gap between sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, try a zesty chenin blanc such as Taste the Difference Fairtrade Chenin Blanc 2011, South Africa (£5.99 from £8.99 until January 1, Sainsbury’s). Winner of the International Wine Challenge fairtrade trophy, this bright, fruity white works a treat with savoury canapes and Asian-inspired finger food.

It’s not always easy to find comfort reds for under a fiver, but Aldi has a Spanish gem that’s ideal for a hearty pre-party buffet or casserole dish – Toro Loco Reserva 2008, Spain (£4.99, Aldi). A blend of tempranillo, bobal, garnacha and cabernet sauvignon, it spends 12 months in oak and this medium-bodied easy drinker carries blackcurrant and vanilla notes alongside subtle mulled spice flavours.

A couple of notches up the scale, Asda Chateauneuf-du-Pape Extra Special Red 2011, France (£13.37, Asda) is true to this rich and powerful style, with plenty of sweet cherry, raspberry and cassis flavours, supple tannins and a warm, savoury finish. Produced by Ogier, it won’t disappoint fans of this Southern Rhone classic.