The 12 wines of Christmas
Terry Kirby shares bottles to sip on from aperitif to digestif, for gatherings and for gourmets to fit the festive season
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Your support makes all the difference.Three Sparkling
An English sparkler…
From one of the newer vineyards, nestling on the South Downs in Hampshire, this is English sparkling at its best: fulsome, rounded, with just the slightest hints of nuts and spice. Made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes, this bottle’s already picked up several awards. A great aperitif with nuts or canapés. Also available in convenient half-bottles, just right for a Christmas stocking.
£29.95/£18.95 (37.5cl) extonparkvineyard.com; £30.00 winepantry.co.uk
A bargain cava...
A lot of cheaper cava can be a bit sweet and acrid, but this is top-notch and its current offer-price makes it a terrific choice for festive season gatherings. Dry, fragrant, zingy, refreshing, it is packed with the flavours of pears, green apples and a touch of vanilla. It would go well with smoked fish too.
£6 (until December 24, then £8) marksandspencer.com
A traditional champagne...
This bubbly is as elegant as the instantly recognisable Belle Epoque labels of one of the oldest champagne houses. Citrussy and fresh, with just some subtle flavours of peaches and apples, this is at the more delicate and fragrant end of the champagne spectrum. It is ideal for opening on Christmas morning. And like many of the big names, it’s heavily discounted at the moment.
£30 Amazon.co.uk; £34.99 (or £29.99 in a mixed six bottle purchase) Majestic; widely available elsewhere
Three white
An easy drinking white for parties…
A pretty rubbish label and at the price you might be forgiven for thinking this white from south-west France will not add up to much, but... this is a really terrific little wine and would be an ideal bulk buy choice for parties or just a stock for the fridge door. Crisply refreshing, some tropical fruit flavours, a clean finish. Drink very cold. What’s not to like?
£4.00 Asda.com
A crisp white for shellfish...
Out of all the oceans of Kiwi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc available, why this? Well, it is the first Maori-owned wine company and it is simply a wonderfully exuberant expression of the grape and style. Lively aromas of passion fruit, gooseberries and citrus, vivid and refreshing tropical fruit flavours and a dry lingering finish.
£14.99 Ocado (from 16 December); £14.99 kwoff.co.uk
An elegant white for fish…
From a Maconnais vineyard soon to be awarded “Premier Cru” status, a superb classically balanced white Burgundy. Floral and citrus on the nose, riper, rounded fruits on the palate, a touch of oaky vanilla and creaminess, but clean, fine acidity on the finish. Drink with salmon or prime white fish like turbot.
£16.95 thevintner.com
Three red
An all occasions red...
A fabulous all-purpose festive season wine from Yecla in southern Spain. Dark and smooth, spicy, mouth-filling black fruit flavours, enlivened by freshness on the palate gives it all an appealing lift. Fine for gatherings and buffets, but delightful to sip in front of an open fire, with a plate of turkey sandwiches.
£8.99 Laithwaites.co.uk
For poultry and lighter game…
Makers of some of the most esteemed Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudy Bay also produces seriously good Pinot Noir on its Marlborough estate. Initially light and bright on the palate, this reveals layers of complex red fruit flavours, shot through with earthy, tarry notes. An elegant and beguiling partner for duck, turkey or pheasant.
£26.99 virginwines.co.uk; £28.95 tanners-wines.co.uk
For red meats or goose…
While many opt for claret for the Christmas meal, a gran reserva rioja can offer similar class in a glass at more realistic prices. From one of the oldest names in rioja, the Tempranillo is blended with some leavening Graciano and Grenache. Mature, serious, concentrated, with mellow red fruits, some spice and oaky hints in the mix. Savour every mouthful.
£26.99 robertsandspeight.co.uk; £27.15 amazon.co.uk
Three dessert
A rich red port….
The second wine of Fonseca, one of the great port houses and offering wonderful value. Vintages are only declared in certain years and this wine has been brooding since 1998, ready to deliver the powerfully opulent, intense but fresh fruit flavours that distinguish the Fonseca style. Decant to serve with Christmas pudding, chocolate desserts and most blue cheeses.
£23.14 thedrinkshop.com; £23.99 (normally £27.99; until 3 January) Waitrosecellar.com
A luscious sweet wine…
Hungarian Tokaji is one the world’s classic dessert wines, normally ultra-sweet and full bodied: this a somewhat lighter and fresher version, still richly sweet, but also citrus-flecked, with fragrant flavours of apricots, oranges and honeydew melon. For fruit puddings, almond tart or trifle.
£14.95 leaandsandeman.co.uk
An unctuous sherry…
The opposite end of the Sherry spectrum from those featured in last week’s column. For Christmas pudding and cake, mince pies or other rich desserts or simply drizzled over vanilla ice cream, try this unctuous, syrupy wonder. Partially made with dried grapes and packed with complex, intense flavours of caramel, dates, dried figs, raisins and spices.
£16.00 Ocado.com (until 3 January; normally £19.00) £19.99 Majestic.co.uk
Next week: Wines to match the cheeseboard....
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