We hope the following wine and food matching tips helps make your wine selection even more fun this year. Our team of course love making specific recommendations after learning about your favourite wine styles so if you have a minute to pop into the store we are ready and enthused. We have extended our opening hours to facilitate this.
May we also take this opportunity to thank you and wish you and your family a very happy Christmas.
If finger food canapés or nibbles are on the menu then bubbles are a must. Our go-to sparkling wines are the delicious Crémants de Loire of Bouvet Ladubay, especially Bouvet Saphir 2018 €22.
If you prefer Champagne, our direct import 1er Cru Champagne Bénard Pitois Carte Blanche €34 is star rated Guide Hachette 2021 & does add that extra pizazz to any occasion.
For those who opt for a takeaway, Gamay or Chardonnay grapes are worth trying as they work well with Chinese and Indian foods. Two favourites are Serol Éclat de Granit 2019 €25 or the white Domaine Latour Giraud Bourgogne 2019 €35.
APERITIFS
For smoked salmon or prawns best to opt for a crisp vibrant style like a Sauvignon Blanc such as Domaine Pouilly-Fumé or a Domaine Sancerre like our own André Vatan Sancerre 2020 €20.
MAIN COURSE
For turkey and ham a wonderful Chardonnay like our Domaine Guerrin oaked Vieilles Vignes 2019 €30 or a white Châteauneuf du Pape will be a triumph. For red a soft and juicy Southern Rhone such as Château Beauchêne Côtes du Rhône 2020 €15 would be ideal.
But if you’d like to up the anté a little the glorious Pinot Noirs of Burgundy are worth exploring, up to the dizzying heights of Domaine Tortochot Morey St Denis 2019 €55. The Cabernets of Napa Valley also deserve a look like to sumptuous Frogs Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 €55.
DESSERT
Tawny Port is a great all-rounder as it can be consumed lightly chilled with pudding or at room temperature with cheeses. For some exotica a glorious Sauternes should be on the list such as Chateau La Tour Blanche 2014 €35 or the off the charts Chateau d’Yquem 2007 – the price of this one carries a health warning!
Assuming leftovers are the order of the day, may we direct you to a light (12.5% abv) but fragrant Pinot Noir such as La Ronciere €15 from the Loire Valley. For white, we would recommend a good Mâconnais such as Domaine Guerrin St Veran Clos Vessats 2019 €20. This extraordinary wine comes from a tiny vineyard but deserves a big reputation.
A day to revert to the fizz! Often there is a favoured house style whether its Bollinger, Pol Roger, Louis Roederer, Veuve Clicquot, Laurent Perrier, Krug….we have all the bases covered….but if you enjoy the top cuvees like Dom Perignan, Cristal, Vintage Krug, Winston Churchill, our supply is limited -a bizarre outcome of the unmentionable!
We can’t be prescriptive here as we don’t know your New Year Resolutions, but all we say is start as you mean to go on! And we wish you a very happy 2022.
