Domaine des Valanges, Saint-Véran, France 2018 (£12, the Co-op) Calling an election in the run-up to Christmas may not be very far up the long list of Boris Johnson’s worst misdemeanours. But I doubt I’m the only one who wishes he’d chosen a different time to stir up the foul storm we’ve just endured. How many of us are only now picking up the pieces of our shattered festive preparations? I suspect last-minute shopping will be the lot of millions of us today, and that includes choosing what to drink on this much-needed holiday. I’ll start with two classic French dry whites that should be on the shelves of a store near you: the crystal-clear, lime and cut-grass class of Les Ruettes Sancerre 2018 (£14, M&S) and the golden apple and almond of Domaine des Valanges’s top-notch chardonnay.
Taste the Difference Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2012 (£12, Sainsbury’s) For the red wine for the Christmas meal, I tend to go one of two ways: either something light and racy to cut through all the fatty richness; or something rich and mellow to wrap all the meat (or pulses), vegetables and sauces up in a velvety hug. The former could be a pinot noir, such as the refreshing raspberry tang of Taste the Difference Rheinhessen Pinot Noir 2018 (£8, Sainsbury’s) or the silky-supple gorgeousness of René Lamy Chassagne-Montrachet 2015 (£24, the Co-op). For the latter, it could be something pepper spicy and rich, such as Domaine Font de Michelle Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France 2016 (£23.99, Waitrose) or, for a softer, more relaxed alternative, the superb-value grand reserva Rioja made for Sainsbury’s by the excellent CVNE.
Waitrose Sauternes Château Suduiraut, France 2011 (£15.99 for 37.5cl, Waitrose) For puddings, cheese and sheer sugary indulgence, a dessert wine is more than a must (if you’ll excuse what just about passes for a cracker-worthy wine pun on the word for pre-fermented grape juice). Actually, as a Christmas morning aperitif, few wines are more joyously suited (and, at 5% or so abv, more appropriately weighted) than the gently foaming, floral sweet wines of Asti in Piemonte, such as M&S’s Asti NV (£7). Also excellent value, Les Jardiniers Muscat de Saint-Jean de Minervois, Languedoc, France (£5.25, 37.5cl, Sainsbury’s) is gently honeyed and just lovely with a mince pie and a hunk of cheese. But for stilton and the richer desserts, Sauternes is hard to beat, with Waitrose’s collaboration with the respected Château Suduiraut a finely balanced, luxurious treat.
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