There were more than 38 billion bottles of wine produced in 2013, the latest figures we have from the International Wine & Spirit Research group. I can’t promise to have tasted them all but at this time of year, when I am trawling through my tasting notes choosing which wines I am going to recommend for Christmas, it sometimes feel like I have given it my best shot.
Buying wine for Christmas, which will be high up on most of your to do lists this weekend, can either be a pleasurable experience, if you like wine and have a friendly wine merchant, or a bit of a minefield if wine isn’t your thing.
I am reminded of a kindly late uncle who in his retirement years would regularly meet up with a friend, take a drive to the local market town, where they would both have their hair cut before retiring for lunch, a catch up and then returning home. It always seemed very ordered and civilized. And so it was with wine. A few Saturday’s before Christmas you could pop down to your local wine merchant, order your favourite case of claret, some white Burgundy and a few bottles of Champagne. Then one could retire for lunch before returning home. But everything is so much more complicated these days. As a friend recently remarked, we are saturated with wine, whether it is offers dropped through your letterbox, tantalizing emails pinging into your inbox or striking newspaper adverts, wine is everywhere and as we can see from the production figures there is an awful lot of it. Enough to fill many Olympic size swimming pools.
So where to start? There are two ways to approach the Christmas wine buying conundrum. You can either go classic and high end or be more adventurous and go for something a little more unknown and easier on the wallet. Both approaches have their merits.
The key tip is to look for wines which are medium bodied and not too high in alcohol. Palate fatigue is very real at this time of year and you want to serve wines which lift the mood, are high in acidity and brimming with zippy fruit.
Let’s begin with sparkling wine. Despite the fact that we are drinking more Prosecco than ever before and England is experiencing its own wine boom, I firmly believe we are living through one of the golden ages of Champagne, quality has never been higher.
Whereas England’s vineyards have benefited from climate change so too has Champagne, there is no doubt that the growing seasons are more consistent and all of the Grand marques, the 20 or so big names with international distribution networks, have upped their game. Yes, prices have risen, but there are many great deals to be snapped up. In London Lea & Sandeman are selling Pol Roger white foil for £33.95 a bottle whereas Waitrose have Louis Roederer non vintage at £32.24. Bollinger, Lanson, Taittinger would be my picks this Christmas.
Away from Champagne, New Zealand produces two absolute bankers in Lindauer and Pelorus, both offering sparkling wine with a crisp, dry flavour and stunning value for money. For those wanting to serve English sparkling wine, the three estates to look out for are: Herbert Hall, Nyetimber and Ridgeview. If you’re looking for something different to impress your guests try the super fresh 2011 Juvé y Camps Reserva de la Familia Gran Reserva Cava from Spain. Packed with personality and character this is very much what ‘those in the know’ serve.
There are two white wines which I am firmly putting my weight behind this year. The first hails from Bordeaux where, when I tasted it from the barrel I was so impressed I nearly put it down as my wine of the vintage. I tasted it again a few weeks ago and it is still as charming and fresh. It is the 2014 Blanc de Lynch Bages from Château Lynch Bages a Sauvignon Blanc dominated blend. The second is Le Soula 2009, from the Côtes Catalanes, in the south west corner of France, a growing region where you can find outstanding wines at sensible prices. Le Soula has an inviting mellow texture.
No Christmas is complete without a decent Claret. The 2005 vintage was first rate and among oenophiles these wines are taking on an almost mythical status. Most of them are not ready to drink yet but Château D’Armailhac, the 5th Growth, Pauillac, from the Mouton-Rothschild stable is a stand out. Mouton managed to get everything right in 2005 and this wine will only get better and better. Allow for a generous decant before hand. For my New World option I would snap up Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra in Southern Australia. The wines from this region have impressive restraint and these are very good Bordeaux style blends. Again, I would recommend a vigorous decant. For something a little lighter try the absolutely stunning 2013 Elk Cove Pinot Noir from the Willamette valley in Oregon. Packed full of bright, cherry and red fruit this will be an exceptional pairing with turkey.
For sweet wine my choice is Vin de Constance 2009 from Klein Constantia in South Africa. This is a honeyed, fresh wine with bright orange peel and marmalade notes. Crucially, it is not too heavy and so is a perfect match with Christmas pudding. For something a little more adventurous I would try Andrew Quady’s Elysium Black Muscat 2014 which goes very well with chocolate.
Port has never been less fashionable and less expensive. Graham’s ‘The Tawny port’ is just the wine to reintroduce your family and friends to the charms of this delicious wine. Chill it down and serve it either as an aperitif, with cheese or with pudding. It goes well with them all. Lastly a glass of Hine Rare VSOP Fine Champagne cognac is a glorious end to the meal. A blend of 25 cognacs it has just the right amount of delicate floral, fruit and mellow smoothness to leave you feeling contented and relaxed.
Enjoy my list and Happy Christmas!
