Wine
(Eastbourne Herald
In Style)
13/12/02
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Christmas cheers
The
turkey’s browning beautifully, the family has arrived, and at
last, it’s time to crack open a bottle!
Long
gone are the days when convention dictated the wines you married
with your Christmas lunch. The only rule now is – choose a wine
you enjoy and trust.
‘People
remember a wine not just for its taste but also for the occasion and
the people they were with when they drank it – so the important
thing is to relax and have fun,’ says independent wine merchant
Colin Barnes of Cooden Cellars, Compton Street, who’s been in the
business for 12 years.
Here
are Colin’s recommendations for six wines guaranteed to make your
feast memorable…
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Heritage
Brut nv, Delbeck Champagne
£18.50
Champagne
is the perfect aperitif to quaff before lunch or while opening
presents. This flavoursome wine, from a house which supplied
the French royal court, performs consistently well in tastings. |
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Blackwood
Ridge Gewurztraminer 2001, Plunkett Wines, Australia
£7.30
A
dry aromatic wine – the perfect match for the traditional
smoked salmon starter. A surprisingly fragrant wine with notes
of lychee and grapefruit. |
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Savigny-les-Beaune
vielles vignes 1999, Domaine Philippe Girard
£12.95
With
so many contrasting flavours around the turkey, choose a wine
which complements, not dominates. This double-gold-medal-winnig
red burgundy has a complex fragrance of raspberries and
blackcurrants – and now’s the perfect time to drink it. |
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Chardonnay
2001, Shadowfax, Australia
£11.50
An
Australian that thinks it’s from Burgundy – the perfect
choice if you prefer a white wine with your main course.
Fantastic rose petal and mineral notes. |
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Pedro
Ximenez, Bodegas Gutierrez Colosia
£6.25 (for 37.5 cls)
What
to have with dessert? No question about it – this is the
vinous equivalent of Christmas pudding itself. An intense
figs-and-raisin-sweet mouth-filly sherry. |
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10-year-old
Tawny, Tonel No 12, Quinta de la Rosa
£15.95
The
perfect partner for that end-of-feast stilton and port. A
highly-recommended wonderfully mellow port – a fitting end
to the perfect festive meal. |
Bon
Appetit!
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