Crack open the reds this Christmas
From a crowd-pleasing cabernet sauvignon to a velvety grenache blend, this case is perfect for entertaining. Here, Henry Jeffreys highlights two wines from this month’s reds case
Wine expert Henry Jeffreys, along with the BBC Good Food team, tasted his way through over 100 wines to choose our Wine Club selection. Henry writes about wine for The Guardian and The Spectator, and on his blog, worldofbooze.wordpress.com. He is also a judge in the Best Drinks Producer category for the BBC Food and Farming Awards. His first book, Empire of Booze, is out now. Find Henry’s tasting notes, including food pairings, for all the selected wines at bbcgoodfood.com/ wine-club.
Piteira Xisto Preto Douro 2015
The name means black schist referring to the soil in the Douro valley. This is port country but it is rapidly becoming famous for its table wines. The native grapes, Touriga Nacional, Franca, Tinta Roriz and Barroca, give this wine a distinctive aromatic note to go with the ripe dark fruit. This would be excellent with something porky like Tom Kerridge’s Christmas lunch loaf on p110.
Viñas del Vero Series Limitadas Somontano 2014
Since the 1980s, Viñas del Vero have been making quality wine in Somontano, an up-andcoming region in the foothills of The Pyrenees. This blend of Cabernet, Tempranillo and Syrah offers very ripe dark fruit – think plums and blackcurrants – and spicy notes from oak ageing. It would be excellent with the roast Irish lamb stuffed with apricot & mint on p26.
For more details about Q this month’s cases, visit bbcgoodfoodwineclub.com.