What should a knackered mother drink this Xmas?
reds (hello, tannins) with strong, hard cheese. Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos, Aldi, £18.99 I f you’re within r e aching di s t ance from a big block of stilton, have a small glass of this poured and at the ready. It’s f rom Hungary and made using rotten grapes. I know that doesn’t sound good, but when it comes to sweet wine it really is — especially when the grapes are affected by so- called noble rot. The result i s rich, honeyed but still with amazing freshness, easily handling with the strong flavours of blue cheese. Campolongo di Torbe Amarone Classico della Valpolicella, 2007, Waitrose, £85 I realise I am suggesting you buy a wine that costs a small fortune. But honestly, when I tasted this I nearly fell over. With joy, rather than alcohol (although at 16 per cent, it nearly did that, too). Known as the wine of kings, I’d like to rename it the wine of people who’ve cooked a great family feast and deserve to be left alone in the armchair with nothing but a glass of this and a plate of aged parmesan cut into bite-sized chunks.
FOR THE BOXING DAY BUFFET
The BDB calls for wines that can cross from cold meats to salads to bubble and squeak and back again. and if you’ve got a crowd in, these are some of the best party wines around. Not too heavy but with enough flavour to make them memorable. Sainsbury’s Conegliano Prosecco, Taste the Difference, 150cl, £14.50 (save £4.50, normally £19) a magnum of prosecco! I know! amazing value, this really is one of the best on the market. Deliciously frothy, brilliantly quaffable with light, lemony flavours. Araldica Gavi 2013, Majestic, £5.99, (save over 35 per cent, normally £9.99) If you are buying in bulk, majestic’s free delivery and sale or return policy makes life easier. as does the screwtop on this bright white from Italy. made f rom the Cortese grape, it’s a gem. Viña Eguía Rioja Reserva 2009, Majestic, £6.66 (save 33 per cent, normally £9.99) love this rioja, with its black cherry fruit, vanilla, smidge of coconut and smokey oak. It’s a biggish wine but because it’s had time to mellow in both barrel and bottle, it’s not too weighty for standard BDB cold meats.
SPARKLY
WITH so many offers and l abels to choose f rom, picking a winner i sn’t always easy as quality varies enormously. These ones are brilliant — and memorable for all the right reasons. Co-op Les Pionniers 2006, Co-op, £24.99 quietly brilliant, this is made by one of champagne’s big names, Piper-Heidsieck. The last vintage release (the 2004) was terrific and this one’s a dream, too. Toasty, deliciously crisp and long on flavour, you’d pay much more than £25 if i t had a big name on the front label. Tesco Finest Premier Cru Brut NV, Tesco, £19.99 seriously good stuff, made from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes grown in premier cru (and some grand cru) villages. It’s a richer, toastier style than many of the other fizzes around this price, but if you like your toast well done, this is the champagne for you. good value at full price, but likely to be on offer this side of Christmas, too. Wiston Estate Cuvee Brut 2010, Corney & Barrow, £32.95 Ok, THIs isn’t from Champagne, but it’s so good it deserves a place in the line up. Beautifully crafted by one of the Uk’s best winemakers, Dermot sugrue, from a hidden-away vineyard in West sussex. Crisp and bright with orchard fruits. enjoy the look of surprise when you tell guests where it’s from — and their delight when they taste it.
SPIRITS AND LIQUEURS
from the sublime to the ridiculous, these all make brilliant presents (that includes self-gifting, obviously). Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth, Waitrose, £12 (save £2, normally £14) If you’re planning on making a negroni (raises hand) or a manhattan over Christmas, get a bottle of this in. a divine blend of both bitter and sweet f l avours, this Italian vermouth is made to a secret recipe created in 1786 by Benedetto Carpano, the man credited with creating vermouth in the first place. Tesco Finest Creme De Cassis 50Cl, £9 made by the legendary Dijon-based producer of crème de cassis, gabriel Boudier. Basically, blackcurrants, alcohol, sugar and water — but it tastes creamy, rich and luxurious. add a drop to a glass of crisp white wine to make a kir, or to a glass of fizz for a kir royale. Eau de Vie Poire Williams, M&S, £33 IT Has a whole pear in the bottle! I mean, really, it is a thing of wonder and strange beauty before you’ve even tasted i t. Inside is a clear, pure eau de vie made for cleansing the palate and settling the tum. Christmas Cake Liqueur, M&S, £10 Brandy, plums, cherries, raisins, cinnamon, lemon peel and orange peel, all soaked in more alcohol. Then bottled. all that’s missing is the marzipan. Dangerously delicious — you have been warned.
HELEN’S first book, The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club (£7.99) is out now.