It Must Be Wine O'clock

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!

A smooth, expressive red wine from the Douro, Portugal

Feuerheerd Reserva Douro 2020 (Portugal)

Though this wine comes in a bottle wrapped in thick grey paper and has a label tied round the neck with string, don’t be misled by the gimmicky packaging!

The Feuerheerd Reserva Douro 2020 is an expressive red wine, aged in carefully selected old oak barrels, and is a very good example of the high-quality, good value red wines produced by Feuerheerd, a renowned Port producer.

A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz grape varieties, the wine is a smooth, elegant, well-balanced wine with medium tannin, medium acidity and a long, silky finish.

With plum, cherry and vanilla on the nose, and blackberry, chocolate, liquorice and a touch of spice on the palate, this is an excellent match for a grilled or roast meat dish, or with roasted vegetables. It will also go well with a strong cheese.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£11)

A smooth, well-balanced Shiraz from New South Wales

PepperBox Shiraz, 2020 (Southeastern Australia)

Having recently tried the PepperBox Chardonnay from the Casella winery in New South Wales, I was keen to try other wines from the winery and I was very impressed with this Shiraz.

Deep ruby in colour, this rich, well-balanced PepperBox Shiraz is very good value for money. With blackberry, cherry and plum on the nose, and black fruits, chocolate and tobacco, with a hint of spice on the palate, this is a smooth wine with plenty of character, medium tannin and acidity, and a lengthy finish.

Perfect for a Sunday roast, with grilled meats, or roasted vegetables.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£9)

A smooth, enticing blend from the Kent Downs

Meopham Valley Vineyard Union Red 2022 (Kent)

This smooth red wine from Meopham Valley Vineyard in the North Kent Downs is a blend of Pinot Noir, Regent, Triomphe and Léon Millot grape varieties.

Aromas of bramble, cherry and blackberry on the nose lead to flavours of black fruits, chocolate and coffee on the palate, and the nine months’ oak barrel ageing gives a hint of spice and smokiness.

A well-balanced wine with medium acidity and medium tannins, this is a very appealing wine that can be enjoyed by itself or with a warming autumn casserole.

Available from Grape Britannia (£15.99)

A rich, flavourful Chardonnay from SE Australia

PepperBox Chardonnay 2022 (South Eastern Australia)

Though an oaked Chardonnay may not be to everyone’s taste, this PepperBox Chardonnay from the Casella winery in New South Wales, is a very good wine.

With pineapple, mango and vanilla aromas on the nose, and tropical fruits on the palate, this is a wine with plenty of character, a creamy mouthfeel, and a smooth buttery finish.

It can be enjoyed by itself, or with a seafood or poultry dish.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£9)

A refreshing Grüner Veltliner from Hungary

Little Cricket Grüner Veltliner 2021 (Hungary)

Though Grüner Veltliner is perhaps best known as Austria’s signature grape, this very good wine from neighbouring Hungary is a fine example of this grape variety.

This is a refreshing, crisp wine with aromas of green apple and pear on the nose, and flavours of apple, melon, citrus fruits and a hint of pepper on the palate. A dry wine with a lengthy finish, this is a very agreeable wine to drink by itself, or as an ideal match for a salad or seafood dish. It will also go well with a slightly spicy Asian dish.

Available from Cambridge Wine Merchants (£8.99)

A refreshing, aromatic Bacchus from Kent

Chapel Down Bacchus 2022 (Kent)

First established as a vineyard in 1977, Chapel Down in Kent has since undergone a number of iterations to become one of England’s leading wine producers.

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, salad or Thai food. It also pairs well with Wensleydale cheese. If you like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, why not give Bacchus a try!

Available from Grape Britannia (£16.99)