Tis the season of goodwill and great wine!

14th December 2012

Christmas is a time for indulgence in delicious food and fantastic wines. Christmas dinner of course is always the main event and choosing the right wines for those seasonal specialities can add that extra bit of sparkle to the feast!

The best thing on Christmas morning, other than finding out what Father Christmas has left under the tree, has to be a decadent glass of bubbly! T. Wright Wine has a selection of choices from classic and boutique Champagnes, such as our Gallimard Cuvee Reserve Brut NV and the elegantly presented Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaique; Jacquart supply Champagne to amongst others the Ritz Hotel, so a glass can only heighten the glamour of your Christmas outfit ! Or maybe the exquisitely crafted and supremely decadent Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque 1999 is more your style, the bottle itself is a work of art & for those who prefer pink the sumptuous & luxurious Laurent Perrier Brut NV Rose Champagne never fails to impress!

Prosecco has enjoyed a surge in popularity over recent years, fresh, fruity, delightfully easy to drink and generally only around 11.5% alcohol it makes a perfect aperitif. The Proseccos that fly out of the door at T. Wright include; Cavit Lunetta Prosecco and Lunetta Prosecco Rose and also new to our range the Conte Collalto Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry.

Producers of sparkling wines have also been raising their game, the De Bortoli Willowglen Brut has been a firm favourite of ours for many years and despite its amazing value for money price tag when served blind has been mistaken for Champagne on countless occasions!

These days one of the most popular starter courses for Christmas Dinner is smoked salmon, whether in a mousse, a souffle or with creme fraiche and blinis it is a clear winner & even better when paired with a finely matched wine choice. Ideally the wine to compliment smoked salmon should be an off dry white wine with no or light oak, for example a flinty Chablis like the Jean Durup Chablis de l Eglantiere 2010, a crisp zesty Muscadet such as the Domaine des Hauts Pemions Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie or the bright steely Gavi di Gavi Nicola Bergaglio Gavi di Gavi La Minaia, will all pair wonderfully highlighting the rich and complex flavours of the salmon without masking them in a blanket of oak.

Moving on to the main course and the No 1 choice for Christmas Lunch is without doubt Turkey. This seasonal favourite allows for a surprising breadth of wine pairing options, from red to white and even rose as possible wine pairing choices. Traditionally an elegant Pinot Noir with its complex layers of red berry fruits, earthy notes and delicate spice is a fantastic match. These days you can take your pick of top class Pinot Noir from both New and Old world regions; the Byron Santa Barabara Pinot Noir grown in the Californian sunshine would be perfect, as would the Chilean Panilonco Reserva Pinot Noir or a classic refined French Burgundy such as the Louis Latour Beaune Vignes Franches 2001 would definitely hit the spot.

If you prefer your reds a little heavier than a Pinot Noir then Zinfandel would be a good alternative, Frogs Leap Zinfandel has layers of warming dark fruits and spice with a hint of molasses, or alternatively if you prefer an even lighter red than a Pinot Noir, Beaujolais will also work beautifully, both the Louis Latour Morgon Les Corcelettes and the Louis Latour Fleurie Les Garans Beaujolais are top quality examples and also great value to boot.

For those who love their rose it would be best to opt for Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Grenache based wine such as the Paul Mas Claude Val Rose, or alternatively just hold onto your pink Champagne! And for those who would rather stick with white wine, Turkey pairs extremely well with the aromatic Pinot Gris grape and with choices from Alsace to New Zealand we are spoiled for choice. The Matahiwi Estate Mount Hector Pinot Gris balances juicy ripe white and yellow fruit flavours with intriguing notes of spice while the Domaines Schlumberger Princes Abbes Pinot Gris offers glorious notes of honeyed fruits, quince and baked apples with a fragrant trace of smoke and is amazing with apple sauce.

And for the finale, the flaming Christmas pudding! As desserts go this is one of the most flavourful confections possible; rich, sweet, moist, nutty, fruity and usually smothered in lashings of brandy-infused white sauce, as a result Christmas pudding is probably best enjoyed just as it is, in all its Christmas finery!

We recommend instead that you choose a glorious Port to go with some traditionally tasty Christmas Stilton while relaxing in front of a roaring fire on Christmas evening. Whether a smooth and well rounded Late Bottle Vintage such as the Pocas Port LBV brimming with succulent raisin, date and Christmas cake flavours or a fantastic deep, rich and full bodied Vintage Port laced with hints of prune, chocolate and vanilla oak such as the Gould Camplbell 2000 Vintage, a perfect end to the day!

Whether with a cracking vintage Champagne, stunning Sauvignon Blanc or Corking Claret we would like to toast to a Happy Christmas and New Year for all!

Cheers & best wishes from everyone at T. Wright Wine.