The Wine Stig - Essential Christmas Wines
It is a tradition in our family that we accompany the fizz with a plate of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with hot buttered toast. Quick, simple and filling while the kids open their stockings or you just enjoy the company of your loved ones, after all Christmas lunch may be hours away! The fizz could be a glass of Cava or Prosecco which we featured in our August issue. But there again, Christmas is a special day, so why not indulge yourself with a glass of Grande Marque champagne such as Veuve Clicquot. The Widow Clicquot created the very first crystal clear Champagne in the 18th century - and Veuve has remained popular and highly acclaimed ever since.
A lovely biscuity, appley nose and almost apple-crumble, creamy and toasty with a burst of zesty citrus fruit. Perfect with the smoked salmon. Veuve Clicquot is available from Supermarkets And Good Off Licences [SAGOL] at around £35 a bottle (cheaper if you look on-line).
A second piece of decadence on this special day is when you get around to the Christmas pudding. Try leaving the brandy out of the pudding sauce and have a glass of dessert wine instead. There are many dessert wines from all over the world to choose from that will do the job of complementing the pudding but probably the classic is French Sauternes.
Sauternes is special because it relies on a fungus known as ‘noble rot’ which causes the grapes to shrivel, the effect of which is to concentrate the sugar content. It takes many more bunches of grapes to produce a half bottle of Sauternes compared to a full bottle of other white wine. Probably the most famous dessert wine in the world comes from Chateau d’Yquem (dee-kem) which would cost an arm and a leg. However, there are many more acceptable examples available from SAGOL at around £12 - £15 for a half bottle, and cheaper on-line. One such example is Le Grand Chai Sauternes available from Laithwaites on www.laithwaites.co.uk. Complex notes of honey and barley-sugar but balanced by lively acidity and a lingering finish. Serve slightly chilled in small glasses (100ml).
That just leaves a selection of wines to have with the Christmas meals and of course, some everyday wines you can open at the ‘pop of a cork’ for those friends who drop in unexpectedly. Simple whites such a Pinot Grigio and a Sauvignon Blanc and easy drinking reds for them and maybe something a bit special for you! This year I decided to leave the trawling around the SAGOL and let my mouse do the work.
After an hour of surfing I discovered a mixed 12 bottle case from Laithwaites which more than fits the bill. They call it the ‘Essentials Christmas Case’ and having sampled the wines I can tell you it represents excellent quality and good value for money at an average cost of £6.67 a bottle. It comprises:
2 x Villa Masetti Pinot Grigio – an above average pinot from Veronese, near Lake Garda which demonstrates a significantly higher standard than most ‘industrial’ Pinot Grigio found in a lot of outlets.
2 x Vina Tarpaca Sauvignon Blanc – one of the best Chilean Sauvignons I have sampled this year with aromas of gooseberry and grapefruit found in more expensive Marlborough Sauvignons from New Zealand.
2 x ‘The Gooseberry Bush’ Colombard/Sauvignon Blanc – This exceptional blend from the Western Cape area of South Africa is a sophisticated white with a complex palate to be enjoyed with food or just on its own.
2 x Il Papavero Vino Rosso – A stunning blend of grapes from four different wine growing areas of Italy. This non vintage red will be great for parties and those unexpected guests who just pop in when you least expect it.
2 x ‘The Waxed Bat’, Shiraz/Petit Verdot/Malbec – An inky ‘grunt red’ somewhat of a masterpiece for the price. This wine may be difficult to share but when you do the recipient can only be impressed.
2 x Chateau Dubois Gramont 2010 – A must for Christmas is a couple of bottles of claret and this one comes up to the mark from 2010, the latest great vintage from Bordeaux. Really good with cold turkey or smelly cheese!
For more details and tasting notes go to www.laithwaites.co.uk and click on ‘Christmas Selection’.
Finally, a very Merry Christmas to you from The Wine Stig and I look forward to sharing more wine facts and discoveries in the New Year. And remember….DRINK RESPONSIBLY!