Assyrtiko Archives - It Must Be Wine O'clock

Here are a few choice wines for you enjoy this Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!

Delightful white wines

Oyster Bay Chardonnay, Marlborough 2022 (New Zealand)

This fine Chardonnay from one of New Zealand’s foremost wine producers, Oyster Bay, will get your Christmas festivities off to a great start! With aromas of peach, lemon and grapefruit on the nose heralding flavours of nectarine and peach on the palate, it’s a very good representation of a cold climate Chardonnay from a region best known for its Sauvignon Blanc wines.

The layers of fruit are well supported by the bright acidity, subtle hints of oak and the creamy texture, creating a delightful wine which is perfect by itself or with a seafood or vegetable dish. Available from Sainsbury’s (£10.75)

Co-op Irresistible Assyrtiko, Macedonia 2023 (Greece)

This Assyrtiko wine from Macedonia is a crisp, dry wine with an appealing freshness on the palate. A blend of Assyrtiko (85%) and Viognier (15%), it has aromas of apple, peach and a hint of smokiness on the nose, and flavours of apple, nectarine and peach on the palate.

A well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with a hint of white pepper in the finish, this is a wine that can be enjoyed as an apéritif and is also an excellent match for seafood. Available from Co-op (£10)

Cracking red wines

Cru des Côtes du Rhône Vinsobres 2021 (France)

This Vinsobres wine from the northern tip of the southern Rhône region of France is a smooth, rich, full-bodied wine. A blend of Syrah and Grenache grape varieties, it has aromas of cherry, raspberry and vanilla on the nose, leading to blackberry, cassis, liquorice and chocolate on the palate. It is a well-balanced wine with notes of garrigue on the finish.

This is a very appealing wine that pairs well with a roast meat dish, or roasted vegetables. Available from Sainsbury’s (£12)

Altolandon Mil Historias Bobal 2020, Manchuela (Spain)

Though not very well-known internationally, Bobal is Spain’s second most-planted red varietal after Tempranillo and this wine from Manchuela in South East Spain is a fine example of this less familiar grape variety.

An appealing wine with herbaceous and black fruit aromas on the nose, and flavours of cherry, plum, blackberry, and raisins on the palate. It is a smooth, medium-bodied wine with medium tannins and medium acidity, and will make an ideal match for the complex blend of flavours associated with a traditional Christmas lunch, or a nut roast. Available from Cambridge Wine Merchants (£14.99)

Dessert wines: pure indulgence!

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pedro Ximénez (Spain)

This Pedro Ximénez (PX) from Sainsbury’s is a perennial favourite. 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 (£10)

Samos Vin Doux (Greece)

The lusciously sweet Samos Vin Doux is another treat for the palate. Golden in colour, and made from Muscat grapes, it has aromas of honeysuckle, apricots and peaches, and flavours of honey, stone fruits and butterscotch. A smooth, wonderfully balanced wine, this is a perfect match for dessert. Available from Waitrose (£9.99)

Merry Christmas!

Look out for more wine suggestions from around the world in 2025. Cheers!

A perfect summer wine …

The Society’s Exhibition Santorini Assyrtiko 2021 (Greece)

Santorini, a windswept volcanic island in the Aegean, is particularly known for its dry white wines made from the Assyrtiko grape variety and this example from the Wine Society displays the perfumed aromas and concentrated flavours of citrus and stone fruits for which the grape is renowned.

A full-bodied, smooth wine with rose blossom and citrus on the nose, and citrus and peach on the palate, this is a crisp, refreshing wine with high acidity and a lingering finish. A well-deserving Silver Award winner in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023.

Enjoy it as an aperitif with a few olives, or as a perfect pairing for a fish or chicken dish, or a Greek salad.

Available from The W ine Society (£17.50)

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 little winter sunshine from Crete …

Lyrarakis Assyrtiko 2021 (Crete)

If you’re looking for a little winter sunshine to brighten up these grey January days, this Assyrtiko white wine from Crete is just the ticket.

This 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 or chicken dish.

Available from Majestic (£11.99, Mix Six £9.99)