World Cup of Wines: Four perfect bottles to pair with the semi-finals

It’s the semi-finals. Four teams, two games, one final match to decide it all.

And all four teams that have made it this far are from winemaking nations.

Whatever the results over these final games, the record of a winemaking country always winning the World Cup is guaranteed.

But who will be in that final game? France look like the best team overall. Spain feel like dark horses who could win in a closely-fought slugging match.

England and Argentina both have shown flashes of brilliance but also fraught, rather flawed performances from which they somehow emerge victorious.

And the potential finals are ripe with historic firsts. Will it be a third back-to-back final for France? A rematch against Argentina? A first-time clash against England who would be in their first final in 60 years.

Or maybe a rematch of 2024’s Euros final? Spain vs England. Or, even, a first World Cup meeting between Spain and Argentina since (incredibly) 1966.

All to play for – here’s what we’re pairing with each match…

And if you feel the need for some… actual football analysis during this World Cup, do check in on our friends and colleagues over at FourFourTwo for all their updates and coverage.

Izzy: England

England (vs Argentina): The final four! After a rather nervy win over the Vikings on Saturday, England are through to the semi-finals for only the fourth time since 1966.

They’ll be meeting current title-holders Argentina in Atlanta, where both teams have previously pulled back from a losing position to overcome their rivals (England against DR Congo and Argentina in their dramatic win over Egypt last week).

Argentina have a particular habit of clawing back a win from the jaws of defeat, so England will need to show real grit and persistence to keep Lionel Messi at bay.

In this spirit, let’s continue to plumb the Decanter World Wine Awards for bottles that showcase the best of England winemaking, and try this platinum-winning sparkling rosé from Berkshire.

From a winery established less than 15 years ago – younger than Messi’s World Cup career – this is an extremely impressive wine, which shows the value of hard work and determination in the vineyard (as on the pitch!)

A wine that is delightfully English with rose garden, strawberry and red apple notes, it is described as an ‘allegory of national intent’ – a fitting choice for the team’s toughest match yet.

Rupert: France

France (vs Spain): Two European football and winemaking giants going head-to-head, and on Bastille Day no-less.

For two such famous footballing nations, it’s surprising that France and Spain haven’t clashed more often in major tournaments.

Spain has had the better of the most recent encounters in the Euros – beating France in the quarter-finals in 2012 and semi-finals in 2024 (going on to win those tournaments on both occasions).

The last – and in fact only – World Cup clash between the two was 20 years ago in 2006, the final hurrah of Zidane, Henry, Viera & co, and which France won (before losing in the final).*

In such circumstances it’s time to throw caution to the wind and lavish some money on a special bottle. It should be something ‘very French’ and is there anything more French than old Bordeaux?

Perhaps something from the 2006 vintage in honour of the last time these countries met.

An underrated vintage that, at 20 years old (and like this French team), is still revealing its charms, try snagging something like this Château Cos d’Estournel which continues to boast ‘abundant blackcurrant fruit and subtle hints of pepper, cedar, and smoke’.

*There was also the 5-4 Spanish victory in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League in 2025, but, honestly, who remembers/cares about that?

Ines: Spain

Spain (vs France): Would Spain have won its quarter-final duel if Belgium’s goalie, Thibaut Courtois, hadn’t left the game injured? We’ll never know.

The road to victory is paved with unfair casualties and (a lot of) luck.

However, luck seems to often fail those who face France… La Roja needs, more than ever, to rely only on itself.

This semi-final calls for consistency, poise, nerve and resilience – the attributes of a good Ribera del Duero, such as the Finca las Dueñas Reserva from charismatic producer Francisco Barona, himself a great source of inspiration for Spanish players.

Barona’s passion, work ethic and hands-on knowledge produce some of Ribera’s most exciting modern classics.

A recipe for champions?

Julie: Argentina

Argentina (vs England): A classic football rivalry – Maradona’s hand of God, David Beckham’s red card – when it comes to Argentina vs England in the World Cup heartbreak is just around the corner.

But the two sides haven’t met since Japan in 2002 (which England won) and, incredible, though it may seem, Lionel Messi has never played against England in his career.

Well, that all ends in Atlanta on Wednesday evening with two teams that have both flirted with brilliance and disaster on their tournament journeys so far.

As we’re rekindling an old footballing beef let’s keep it straightforward; a pure expression of high altitude Argentine Malbec.

Catena Zapata’s ‘Malbec Argentino’ is not only about as on-the-nose as it gets name-wise but also a wine that displays all the ‘dynamism, character and typicity’ we’ve come to expect from the country’s wines – and their football team.

Expect, ‘juicy ripe cherry, plum, pink peach, pomegranate’ and possibly some more Messi magic.