The
word Christmas can start to provoke a twitchy, sweaty palm reaction
at this time of year.
If you
are feeling slightly anxious about anything, the correct response is
to make a list. There's nothing like ticking things off to make you
feel like progress is being made, even if it contains items that you
would normally do anyway. Get up – tick. Brush teeth – tick.
That's two things done before you've got downstairs.
Herewith
is a wine-themed list of my Top Tips to ensure a glittering
Christmas:
1.
Get organised. Having some wine ordered and delivered early is a
huge weight off the mind. And if you're going away for Christmas or
New Year, you could even have the wine delivered to your destination,
to avoid having to schlepp it there yourself. Don't forget to equip
yourself with a glass of something delicious to have by your side as
you browse online.
2.
Make a list of the different occasions that need wine (don't they
all?) and think about which wines to have on hand. Consider parties,
big set piece meals, casual lunches, breakfast Buck's Fizz...
3.
Always have a few bottles spare for guests who drop round. At that
time of year you might want to offer a glass of wine, fizz or sherry
to visitors at any time of day from elevenses onwards.
4.
Think fizz – nothing says celebration like the pop of a cork, so
you should never be without a chilled bottle in the fridge. Have a
range of different sparklers to choose from – vintage Champagne is
great to serve before (or with) a really special meal. But unless
you're a Premiership footballer, you can't go buying it willy-nilly.
5.
Remember to have fun - and don't be afraid to ask for help. If you
are enjoying yourself, then your guests will too. But if they see
you fretting over every tiny detail to ensure it's all just right, it
won't help them to relax and get into the swing of things. Christmas
is not about turning your house into a restaurant with immaculate
dishes emerging from the kitchen while your guests soak up the
vintage claret. Who amongst us doesn't enjoy joining in in the
kitchen, chopping some veg or mixing stuffing, especially if we're
offered a lovely glass of something to sip while we're at it?
My
next column will focus on drinks for the big day itself, but here I'm
looking at wines for all those other occasions.
Fizz
Don't
overlook Prosecco, Crémant, Cava and other budget options which are
great for parties or more casual and relaxed affairs. And don't even
consider putting Champagne in your Buck's Fizz – no-one will know!
The half price Champagnes that sprout like mushrooms in the nation's
supermarkets are generally not much to write home about – a lot has
been squeezed out of those grapes (literally) to produce a fizzy wine
with Champagne on the label at that price. Try a bottle to see if
you're happy with it before you go buying more. More often than not
supermarket own label Champagnes give better value. Or if your
budget is tight, it will always be better to buy a better class of
Crémant or Cava, than the cheapest Champers.
Mont
Marcal Cava Brut Reserva - £9.99 at The Wine Reserve, Cobham
This
looks and tastes the part – light, fresh and elegant.
White
Les
Hauts de Bergelle Blanc 2009, Saint Mont, France - £7.99, or £5.99
when you buy two at Majestic
Southwest
France makes some fantastically characterful wines from its unique
selection of grape varieties, here the memorable trio of Gros Manseng
(yes, there is a Petit Manseng), Arrufiac and Petit Courbu (though no
Grand Courbu that I know of exists). It has piercingly crisp
acidity, allied to pear and honey-tinged fruit and a hearty twist of
white pepper. Not an identikit wine which has plenty of interest for
the money.
Bourgogne
Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2010, Nicolas Potel, Burgundy, France -
£11.99, down to £7.99 when you buy two at Majestic
It's a
truism that producer is more important than appellation in Burgundy –
and here is proof. It's at the bottom of the quality pyramid as a
humble Bourgogne, but it has lovely fruit with hints of peach; the
texture has a slight mealiness and great freshness. Burgundy lovers
will lap it up.
Rosé
Gone
are the days when rosé went out with the first bonfire of Autumn.
Now it's an all-year-round drink and at Christmas, go for something
classic.
Rimauresq
Cru Classé 2010, Côtes
de Provence, France - £11.99 from Taurus Wines, near Bramley
No
rosé is more elegant, refined and food-friendly than a classic
Provençal
one – this has weight and presence despite its palest salmon
colour. The fruit is subtle, but there is a pronounced herbal and
pepper character that makes it a surprisingly good match for a wide
range of foods.
Red
You
need wines that make good “house” wines – fun, easy-going with
food, but also happy to be sipped on their own.
Lascar
Carmenère 2010, Central Valley, Chile - £4.95 from The Wine Society
This
ticks all the boxes. A huge juicy mouthful of vibrant black fruit
with a strong whiff of smoke, redolent of bonfires. Great value for
money.
Majestic
Peaks Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand - £10.99, down to £8.79
when you buy two bottles at Majestic
Regular
readers will know of my passion for Pinot. This may not be top of
the quality tree, but it has plenty of perfumed, more-ish red fruit
with a lick of spice that will happily go with cold meats and pickles
and a classic episode of Only Fools and Horses.
Domaine
Crêt
des Garanches 2010, AC Brouilly, Beaujolais - £11.70 from Les Caves
de Pyrène, Guildford
Juicy,
raspberry and cranberry fruit, soft tannins – Beaujolais fits the
bill for Christmas perfectly. No weird bubblegum flavours here –
it's smooth, bright fruit all the way. A classy option for ham, cold
meats or a sociable glass with neighbours.
Sherry
Manzanilla
La Gitana, Spain – around £8 from Waitrose and Majestic
There's
nothing like a crisp, bone dry sherry for perking one up and
sharpening the appetite for yet another feast. Alexander Fleming,
discoverer of penicillin, said that while “penicillin can cure the
sick..sherry can bring the dead back to life.” For more on the
charms of sherry and matching it with food, can I respectfully direct
you to my recentish blog post, “If it swims, serve a fino”, here:
http://heatherdougherty.blogspot.com/2011/07/if-it-swims-serve-fino.html
You'll
also find more festive wine recommendations on the Heather Dougherty
blog, which I haven't been able to fit in here.
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