Created in 1975 at the Freiburg Wine Institute in Germany, Solaris is an early ripening, frost-resistant grape variety that is particularly suited to cool, damp climates and is very much at home in the UK and other parts of Northern Europe.
This Solaris from Burn Valley Vineyard in North Norfolk is outstanding. It is an aromatic wine with pronounced notes of vanilla on the nose, leading to peach, nectarine and honey on the palate, and has a rich, buttery mouthfeel.
Refreshing and well-balanced, this is a delightful wine which can be enjoyed as an aperitif, or with seafood or white meat. We had it with grilled salmon and it was a perfect match.
This smooth, silky red wine from Radlow Hundred Vineyard in Herefordshire is a blend of Pinot Noir, Regent and Rondo grape varieties. With aromas of raspberry, cherry and plum on the nose, and plenty of red fruit flavours, notably cherry, on the palate, this is a balanced wine with medium tannins and a hint of pepper on the finish.
A very pleasant English red wine that can be enjoyed by itself or with a red meat or roasted vegetable dish.
Produced from Madeleine Angevine grapes, this elegant, floral wine from Danebury Vineyards in Hampshire heralds spring perfectly. With apple, pear and peach on the nose, and orchard fruits, lemon and a hint of honey on the palate, this is a well-balanced, crisp wine with a lengthy mineral finish.
Here is another fine example of the excellent quality of wines now being produced on this island. This Madeleine Angevine wine can be enjoyed by itself and also pairs very well with a seafood dish or chicken.
Gutter & Stars, Strange News from Another Star, Bacchus 2021 (Cambridge)
This is an outstanding Bacchus wine from Gutter & Stars urban winery in Cambridge. Produced from grapes grown in the Crouch Valley in Essex, the wine was awarded ‘Bacchus of the Year’ last year. And deservedly so.
A refreshing, crisp wine with aromas of jasmine, apple and citrus fruits on the nose, and green apple with subtle hints of peach and minerality on the palate. This is a well-balanced wine which can be enjoyed by itself, with seafood, white meat, a vegetable dish or light risotto.
It is a fresh, elegant wine with pronounced aromas of blossom, apple and peach, and a touch of white pepper on the nose, leading to a delicious burst of apple, lemon, peach and nectarine on the palate. A tinge of effervescence adds a little sparkle to the mix and the mineral notes and refreshing acidity make for a very well-balanced wine. This is a dry wine with a lengthy finish which will get your Christmas lunch off to a fine start!
Available from Majestic (£10.99, Mix Six £8.99)
Grove Mill, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2021 (New Zealand)
This aromatic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a real treat. Pronounced aromas of elderflower, peach, lychee and guava on the nose herald flavours of lime, nectarine and passion fruit on the palate. The layers of fruit are well supported by the bright acidity and lasting finish, and a hint of minerality adds a further level. A delightful wine offering great value for money.
Available from Co-op (£9.50)
White wines
Paco & Lola Albariño 2021 (Spain)
Year after year, Paco & Lola come up trumps with their Albariño to create award-winning wines.
This is a fresh, crisp wine, high in acidity, with aromas of blossom, lemon and apple on the nose, and flavours of apple, peach and nectarine on the palate. It is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with a lengthy finish, which matches perfectly with white meat and fish dishes.Â
Available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s (£12- £14)
Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Awatere Valley (New Zealand)
This elegant Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough’s smaller, cooler Awatere Valley is an ideal wine to go with seafood or white meat.  An aromatic wine with notes of citrus and peach on the nose leading to stone fruit flavours and a refreshing minerality on the palate, it has a lively acidity, a creamy mouthfeel and a long finish.
Available from Co-op (£11)
Hazel End Vineyard Bacchus Dry 2014 (Hertfordshire)
This 2014 Bacchus Dry from Hazel End Vineyard in Hertfordshire is a real delight. With aromas of grapefruit, elderflower, lime and a touch of petrol on the nose, leading to a burst of lime and peach on the palate, this older Bacchus has a hint of Riesling about it. It is a smooth, refined wine with good acidity and a long finish, and goes well with a seafood or chicken dish.Â
This delightful red wine made from Rondo grapes grown in Hampshire is an ideal match for the complex blend of flavours associated with a traditional Christmas lunch. Deep ruby in colour, this is a rich, smooth, medium-bodied, well-balanced wine. With blackberry, plum and black cherry aromas, and notes of cinnamon and vanilla, on the nose, and rich black fruit flavours with savoury notes on the palate, it’s a wine with depth and complexity.
This is a Beaujolais from one of the region’s most experienced winemakers, Georges Duboeuf, and it is a very good wine. It has pronounced aromas of raspberry and strawberry, together with hints of cream and blossom on the nose, and intense red fruit flavours on the palate. A light, refreshing medium-bodied wine, with medium acidity and a long finish, it will go particularly well with cold meats, duck or a plant-based dish.Â
Available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Majestic (£11-£13)
This is a well-balanced Bordeaux red from the Left Bank.  A Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend, it has bramble, cooked fruit and blackberry aromas on the nose, together with hints of vanilla and spice, and black fruit flavours and a touch of earthiness on the palate. A full-bodied wine which will go well with roast meat or roasted vegetable dishes.Â
Available from Majestic (£16.99, £14.99 Mix Six)
A perfect match for Christmas pudding or other rich dessert, and mature cheese, it can also simply be drizzled over vanilla ice cream for another-worldly experience!
Available from Sainsbury’s (£8)
Campbell’s Rutherglen Muscat (Australia)
The lusciously sweet Campbell’s Rutherglen Muscat is another treat. Made from a blend of vintages of Muscat à petit grains rouges (Rutherglen Brown Muscat), it has flavours of fruitcake, dates and nuts, and is a smooth, wonderfully balanced wine. It is a perfect match for cheese or dessert.
Available from Waitrose (£10.49)
Merry Christmas!
Look out for more wine suggestions from around the world in 2023.
Now this is an interesting wine! Produced by Renegade Urban Winery, an innovative winery in central London that loves to experiment, it’s a dry-hopped English sparkling wine, made from Pinot Noir grapes grown in Herefordshire. After the first fermentation, the base wine is dry hopped with Sabro, Citra and Mosaic hop flowers. Umm.
The result is a cloudy, hoppy wine that smells like beer with a hint of citrussy cider about it, but the refreshing bubbles give the game away! While the wine may not be to everyone’s taste, it is certainly an interesting drink and if you like to try something different, give it a go. You’ll probably be surprised at first but it does grow on you!
With unique hoppy aromas together with apple and lychee on the nose, leading to apple and citrus flavours on the palate, this unusual mix of grapes and hops is a great experiment, and works really well.
Hazel End Vineyard Bacchus Dry 2014 (Hertfordshire)
It’s unusual to find an English white wine that has aged a few years but this 2014 Bacchus Dry from Hazel End Vineyard in Hertfordshire is a real delight. 2014 was generally a good year for English wine. Eleven out of twelve months were warmer than average and there was also a reasonable amount of rain. The result was a bumper 2014 harvest with plenty of healthy, high-quality grapes. And several years on, this wine still has lots to offer.
With aromas of grapefruit, elderflower, lime and a touch of petrol on the nose, leading to a burst of lime and peach on the palate, this older Bacchus has a hint of Riesling about it. It is a smooth, refined wine with good acidity and a long finish, which can be enjoyed by itself, or with a seafood or chicken dish. Great value for a 2014 wine!
White Castle Vineyard Siegerrebe 2021 (Monmouthshire)
My Wine of the Month is this outstanding Siegerrebe from White Castle Vineyard in Monmouthshire, Wales. Though not a particularly common grape variety, Siegerrebe grows well in cooler climates and so is very much at home in the UK, and Robb and Nicola Merchant at White Castle have produced another fine wine with this 2021 vintage. Indeed, the wine was awarded Silver in the recent WineGB Awards 2022.
A dry wine with refreshing acidity, this has pronounced aromas of honey, blossom and muscat on the nose, leading to flavours of peach, lychee and nectarine on the palate. Smooth and elegant, it’s a fresh, well-balanced wine with a touch of spice on the finish, and can be enjoyed by itself, or with a fish or chicken dish. It will also go well with light, slightly spicy Asian dishes. We enjoyed it with a smoked salmon starter.
Though the wine is now out of stock at the vineyard, it is still available from several stockists including Grape Britannia, Cashells, Blas ar Fwyd, and Noble Grape. (£20-£22). Grab a bottle (or two) while stocks last!
Denbies Wine Estate on the North Downs in Surrey planted their first vines in 1986. After a bumpy few years when the wines were a far cry from what they are now, the vineyard has grown to become the largest wine producer in the UK, producing a million bottles a year.
