WHAT TO DRINK AT CHRISTMAS 2013 & NE’ERDAY 2014

CANAPÉS & BUBBLY

Whether you enjoy tasty canapés, hand cooked  crisps or mixed nuts you can’t let Christmas or New Years day go past without a glass or two of bubbly. Some nibbles and a glass of Prosecco is the perfect way to give everyone a lift, whet the appetite, and get the festive food orgy underway.

Great news is that quality Prosecco is plentiful at under a tenner and you can buy a double silver medal winner from Aldi at £7.29. Good Prosecco is not just as dry as champagne and it has a hint of fruitiness. Go Italian with a Bellini made from Prosecco and peach juice or French by making a Kir Royale by adding a little splash of Crème de Cassis liqueur.

If you want to push the boat out, then go traditional and serve well chilled champagne. Most supermarkets have their own brands at around £15 per bottle or you could jump up to a Grand Marque such as Veuve Clicquot or Taittinger which are excellent champagnes for around £35 with Lanson Black Label, Piper Heidseick and Pommery in the £22 to£30 price range. If you are looking for something which is almost as good as champagne at around a tenner, why not try Jacobs Creek chardonnay pinot noir which is a brilliant methode champenoise from Oz and it won’t disappoint.

STARTERS

My rule for starters is always to serve white wines which are dry and light. A good sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, a chenin blanc from South Africa or a viognier from Chile or Australia are good New World choices. Sauvignon blanc with its’ dry minerally flavour and a touch of citrus, is ideal with smoked salmon, prawns or cured meats. Closer to home try a steely Sancerre from the Loire or choose an Italian option by going straight for a Gavi di Gavi and avoid an inconsistent pinot grigio.

To serve something really special on Christmas day, you can dig a bit deeper into your pocket and go for a clean and light chardonnay from Burgundy such as Rully, Mercurey or Montagny. Mâcon-Villages produces a softer style lower price with Macon-Lugny a favourite.

MAINS

Main courses at Christmas mainly fall into two categories roast turkey and the rest. Looking at wine options to go with roast turkey, chipolatas, pigs in blankets, rich gravy, sprouts, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce and sundry accoutrements raises quite a challenge. Normally you would associate white wines with white meats but with all those strong tastes going on at once, you need something with a fuller body. Why not go for something special from the Burgundy or the Rhone Valley such as Chateau Neuf Du Pape. Try 2006, 2009 or 2012 which have been hailed as exceptional years. If you like something a bit lighter with a touch of oak and vanilla, why not try my favourite of Spanish Rioja, especially a Reserva or a Gran Reserva which are smooth, rich and complex. If you have a penchant for Italy a Chianti Classico could fit the bill.

If you have opted out of roast turkey and enjoy a juicy steak or a nice rich steak pie New World reds will provide that mouth filling rich fruity flavours which compliment red meats. Why not seek out a cabernet sauvignon from Chile or Australia, a Malbec from Argentina, a Pinotage from South Africa or a weightier Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, Australia. You could go off-piste with a Carmenère from Chile or Argentina which is the new up and coming grape with lots of flavour and round soft tannins. Returning to Europe a smooth Barolo, Amarone or Primitivo from Italy can provide a soft full bodied alternative or a big wine from the Rhone - Vaqueyras, Crozes Hermitage, Gigondas or the heavy weight St Joseph.

PUDDINGS

There is nothing better to go with puddings than a sweet white wine. Top of the tree comes the almost unaffordable Beaumes de Venise or Sauternes from France or an Ice-wine from Austria or Canada which are best served well chilled. The ripe, unctuous sweet flavours offer a complex compliment to most desserts. Alternatives from Oz are available and I recommend the Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora. If you are looking for something different go no further than a chilled bottle of Asti Spumanti. You’ll be surprised how well this goes with sweet desserts such as pavlova or sticky toffee pudding.

CHEESE & AFTERS

When the digestive system starts to cope with the previous courses there is always room for a nibble from the cheese board with a bunch of ripe red grapes. Wines to follow are really a personal choice depending on the cheeses available. A glass or two of a full bodied red wine or rich tawny port can finish the meal perfectly. There are a number of very good Port houses which offer a range of tawny, LBV or vintage ports which will do the job. You really can’t go wrong with Noval, Taylor’s or Cockburn’s ports which are widely available.

TO FINISH

If you have not succumbed to that warm, cosy after meal siesta in front of the TV, then there’s always time for another port or a warm, smooth and mouth filling malt whisky. If like me you prefer smooth, round whiskies with a sweeter aspect opt for a dram from Scotland’s most northerly distillery in Orkney, where a 12 year old Highland park will do the job nicely. A hearty Glenfarclas 15 year old from Speyside, a smooth lightly peated 12 year old Bunnahabhain from Islay or an even lighter 12 year old Aberfeldy from the Highlands are superb alternatives. If you want to push the boat out and have deep pockets there is a wide selection of great malts which have matured well into their teens and early twenties. Three that top my list without being overly expensive are 18 years olds from Smith’s Glenlivet, Highland Park or Glenfarclas.

SOME WELL TRIED & TESTED RECOMMENDATIONS

BUBBLY

Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG - Top Bubbly Recommendation
Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene is the DOCG title given to the finest Prosecco wines made in the Veneto wine region of north-eastern Italy. This a fine example of Prosecco which won silver medals at the 2012 and 2013 Wine & Spirit International challenge. Aldi £7.29

Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvée, Australia – NV

Made with bottle fermentation, this bubbly is almost as good as champagne.  Normally sold at £10.00 it is currently available at Sainsbury and Asda for around £7.00

WHITES

Concha Y Toro Marques de Casa Chardonnay, Limara Valley, Chile – 2011
Top White Recommendation
A gold medal winner was declared the best chardonnay in the world (under £15) this year. Available from both Tesco and Morrisons at £9.99 and £11.99

Viña Mayu Sauvignon Blanc, Elqui Valley, Chile - 2012

A cracking Sauvignon Blanc with savoury grassy and zingy gooseberry flavours Available at Asda at £6.98.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Viogner, Chile - 2012

A Chilean stunner at a genuinely discounted price from Morrisons for only £4.99. Beautiful fruit, rich flavour and a good finish make this wine worth double the price.

Wairau Cove Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand - 2013

A cracking, crisp dry white packed with gooseberry fruit aromas and passion fruit flavours. Very young but will improve with a few months cellaring. Tesco £6.24

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley, Chile – 2011

A favourite of mine this beautiful chardonnay is unbelievably well balanced, with subtle tropical peach, apricot and melon peach. Subtle oak characters, a touch of acidity and a great finish. Available at Majestic for £10.39 (on offer)

Hardy's Nottage Hill Chardonnay, Australia - 2012

An old fashioned Aussie Chard which is full bodied, dry with loads of rich tropical fruit and melon flavours. Lovely big chardonnay available from Tesco at £5.49 or Asda at £6.00

REDS

Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja, Spain – 2001  - Top Red Recommendation
This impressive Rioja came first in Decanters Top 50 reds. It is a sophisticated wine and a magnificent Rioja. Pale Victoria plum in colour with a mahogany rim and complex aromas of plums and raspberries combined with hints of cedar, vanilla and spice. This superb wine is smooth and velvety on the palate with a hint of vanilla on the finish. Asda £13.00 Sainsbury £13.99

Asda Wine Selection, Cabernet Sauvignon, Langhorne Creek, South Australia - 2012

This own label is a silver medal winner and worth 3 times the offer price of £4.98. Pour this into a decanter and tell your friends it’s a medal winning wine which has a lovely fruity nose with complex flavours of eucalyptus, deep cassis with just a touch of tannin.

Stella Bella Shiraz, Margaret River, Western Australia - 2008

A smashing Ozzie red for a special occasion. A dark chocolaty shiraz with loads of fruit, a touch of Viognier to soften the tannins and a great finish. Available from Alliance Wines in Beith for around £18.00 (sold by the case)

Peter Lehmann Shiraz Barossa Valley, Australia – 2011

A full bodied and rich Ozzie red which is ideal for steaks, beef and venison. This classic shiraz has concentrated blackcurrant and bramble fruit as well as hints of mocha and dark chocolate. Available for £8.79 at Majestic, when buying 2 bottles as part of a mixed case

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile - 2009 

A very sophisticated full-bodied wine with lots of berry fruits and hints of tobacco and vanilla and a delightfully long finish. Available at Morrisons and Tesco online around £13.00

Lagunilla Reserva Rioja, Spain – 2008

Classic Rioja with deep strawberry fruit, vanilla and a good finish. Tesco online at £6.50

Viña Mayu Sangiovese, Chile –2011

A lovely soft, medium bodied, red wine has a touch of peppery spice and a satisfying finish. This great medal winning wine drinks well on it’s own or with almost all meats. Asda £6.98

DESSERTS & PORT

Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora 2009 Australia
Great sticky to go with desserts, priced around £7.50 for a half bottle at Waitrose & Ocado

Asti Martini Spumanti, Italy – NV

An excellent medium sweet bubbly to go with pudding. Asda £6.00 and Tesco £6.99

Noval Late Bottled Vintage Port, Portugal - 2007

Intense, rich, dark, red port with ripe aromas of cherries and blackberries – Tesco & Ocado

Taylor's 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal – NV

A rich, mellow old tawny port with an intense complex nose from years of ageing in oak casks. Widely available.  Tesco £19.30, Majestic £20.00 and Selfridges £25.99

Cheers for 2014. Enjoy and drink sensibly.