December 2023 - It Must Be Wine O'clock

ADOPT A VINE – A PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

This is an ideal gift for a wine lover this Christmas – Adopt a Vine. Many UK wine growers are now offering this opportunity to own part of a vineyard for a year, and the package usually includes a vineyard tour and wine tasting, as well as a bottle of wine from your adopted vine. What’s not to like? It’s the perfect gift for a wine lover.

We have adopted a vine at White Castle Vineyard near Abergavenny these last few years and visiting the vineyard to see our adopted wine, enjoy a guided tour of the vineyard and then of course taste some excellent wines, including our adopted grape variety, is always the highlight of our trip to Wales.

We always have a great time!

For full details, see here

For other great gift ideas featuring English & Welsh wines, whether bottles, cases or wine tastings, visit Grape Britannia

The Coravin Wine System

On those (admittedly rare!) occasions when you open a bottle of wine but just want to drink a glass or two, wouldn’t it be great if you could reseal the bottle and put it away again?

Good news – the Coravin wine system does just that! It ejects wine from the bottle by pumping in argon gas so the wine doesn’t oxidise. The Coravin wine system inserts a needle into the cork (or screw cap) and as the argon enters the bottle, you can pour as much or as little of the wine as you like. Then you remove the needle and the cork or cap re-seals, protecting your wine till you want to open it again. Ingenious.

What’s more, the wine tastes just the same the next time you have a glass as it did the first time. Incredible but true.

A wine lover’s dream come true. And a perfect Christmas gift- check out the Coravin wine system here

Looking for a stocking filler for a wine lover? Try this

Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2024: Latest Edition

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Now in its 47^th year of publication, Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book is the world’s best-selling annual wine guide. The key reference book for any wine lover – with helpful facts and commentary on everything from grape varieties, to vintages, to wine growers and regions, as well as advice on which foods go with which wines. This is the wine book! A perfect Christmas gift.

Waterstones £14.99

For another Christmas gift idea for a wine lover, see here.

Oz Clarke: English Wine – from still to sparkling

An ideal gift for a wine lover who is keen to learn more about the newest New World wine country – England (and Wales). Oz Clarke’s ‘English Wine – from still to sparkling’ tells the story of the transformation of the wine scene on this fair island over the last few decades.

Starting with a history of English wine from how it used to be, Clarke takes the reader through the Nyetimber Effect and the changes it heralded to where we are now. There’s a great section on location and a comprehensive overview of vineyards and wineries across England and Wales, with lots of useful information, including contact details, wine recommendations etc.

All you ever wanted to know about English (and Welsh) wine – all in one place. A great book. And the perfect gift for your favourite wine lover!

Waterstones £20

For other great gift ideas featuring English & Welsh wines, whether bottles, cases or wine tastings, visit Grape Britannia

Kikkerland Wine Bottle Thermometer

This neat wine thermometer is a quick and easy way of checking the temperature of your wine bottle and is a very useful little gadget for any wine drinker. An ideal stocking filler for a wine-lover!

It’s a simple cuff that fits around the bottle and quickly displays the temperature. It also gives the recommended serving temperatures for the most popular wines.

Available from Lakeland, John Lewis, Amazon etc. Priced around £9.00 -£11.00

For other wine-related Christmas gift ideas, see here

A Christmas gift with a difference

If you are looking for a gift with a difference for a wine lover this Christmas, why not treat them to a recognised wine course, or a wine tasting session?

Steve Hovington at Cambridge Wine Academy offers classes for WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Levels 1-3 and also runs regular wine tastings throughout the year.

I really enjoyed the WSET Level 3 course I took with Steve in 2020 and I learned a lot from his sessions. I have since attended several of Steve’s regular wine tasting sessions and these are always fun, interesting and informative.

So, if you’re looking for that special gift this Christmas, further details can be found here

For other wine-related Christmas gift ideas, see here

Ed Dallimore – The Vineyards of Britain

Everything you wanted to know about English and Welsh wines!

There is much to celebrate in one of the world’s most exciting wine regions – England and Wales.

This new book by wine expert and photographer Ed Dallimore is a fantastic resource for any wine lover wanting to know more about English and Welsh wine. Ed takes you on a fascinating adventure through Britain’s wineries and vineyards. You get to meet the people making top-quality wines, learn about their wines and get some great advice and recommendations from Ed.

Three key elements permeate the narrative: the right sites, the right soils and the right people, and from the south-west to the north of England, from urban wineries in London and Cambridge to vineyards in the shadow of the Black Mountains in Wales, you get to understand how these three factors combine to produce some really excellent wines, both sparkling and still.

Whether it’s White Castle Vineyard in Abergavenny, Gutter & Stars Urban Winery in a Cambridge mill, Rathfinny Wine Estate in East Sussex, or 140-odd others, this book will give you all the background you need and take you on an informative journey through the vineyards and wineries of Britain.

It’s a great read and the perfect Christmas gift for your favourite wine lover!

Available from Waterstone s (£19.99)

Here are a few choice wines to enjoy this Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!

Delightful white wines

Lyrarakis Assyrtiko 2022 (Crete)

This Assyrtiko wine from Crete is a dry wine with a crisp, refreshing acidity. It has pronounced aromas of honey, together with apple and peach, on the nose, and flavours of apple, pear and peach on the palate.

It is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with a long finish that can be enjoyed as an apéritif and is also an excellent match for a seafood dish.

Available from Majestic (£12.99, Mix Six £10.99)

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 (£10.50)

Chapel Down Bacchus 2022 (Kent)

This Bacchus wine from Chapel Down vineyard in Kent, one of England’s leading wine producers, is an excellent example of what this grape variety is capable of.

An aromatic wine with notes of melon and citrus on the nose, and flavours of apple, melon and grapefruit on the palate, this is a crisp, refreshing and well-balanced wine with a long finish.

Enjoy by itself or with seafood or salad. It also pairs well with Wensleydale cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£16.99)

Cracking red wines

Les Hauts de Saint Martin, Saint Chinian 2021 (France)

This Saint-Chinian wine from vineyards located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France is a smooth, rich, full-bodied wine. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre grapes, this is a dry wine with medium acidity, medium tannins and a lengthy finish.

With bramble, plum and cherry on the nose, and an array of red and black fruits, and a hint of spice on the palate, this is a very appealing wine that pairs well with a roast meat dish, or roasted vegetables.

Available from Co-op (£10)

Yalumba Y Series Tempranillo 2020/21 (South Australia)

This Tempranillo wine from South Australia adds a little Antipodean twist to this grape variety generally associated with Rioja. Produced by Yalumba winery, one of Australia’s oldest wineries, this is a deliciously smooth wine which can be enjoyed by itself, and goes really well with duck or lamb.

With aromas of cranberry, cherry and bramble on the nose, and flavours of blackberry and plum, with a hint of chocolate and spice, on the palate, this is a balanced wine with a long finish.

Available from Majestic (£10.99, Mix Six £8.49)

White Castle Regent 2021 (Wales)

This wonderfully expressive wine from White Castle Vineyard in Wales is an outstanding red wine. Made from Regent grapes, it is a well-balanced wine that’s an ideal match for the complex blend of flavours associated with a traditional Christmas lunch.

With aromas of cherry, blackberry and a touch of smokiness on the nose, and ripe fruit flavours of blackcurrant and plum on the palate, this is a wine with depth and complexity.

Available from Grape Britannia (£27.99)

Indulgent dessert wines

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pedro Ximénez (Spain)

This Pedro Ximénez (PX) from Sainsbury’s is a full-bodied, lusciously sweet wine with a long, velvety finish. With aromas of honey, raisin and toffee, reminiscent of a mince pie, on the nose, and coffee, caramel and toffee flavours on the palate, this is a perfect match for Christmas pudding or other rich dessert, and mature cheese.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£9)

Keo St John’s Commandaria (Cyprus)

This luscious Cypriot dessert wine has a history dating back to the Crusades and is an outstanding dessert wine. With aromas of dried fruit and spices, and flavours of caramel, honey and nuts, Commandaria can be enjoyed by itself, or with cheese or desserts. It is a particularly good match for a rich, creamy dessert.

Available from Aspris & Son (www.aspris.co.uk) (£11.79, 50cl.)

Merry Christmas!

Look out for more wine suggestions from around the world in 2024.

Cheers!