Wine & Bubbly: Terrific Tipples for the Holidays
It’s the holiday season, and you know what that means. Parties. Excess. Indulgence. Unsuitable dalliances at the office Christmas bash…and morning-after remorse when you review the photos you posted to Instagram in a state of, shall we say, insalubrious celebratory inebriation.
The very least you can do for yourself is make the almost inevitable hangover worthwhile by cracking into a good bottle. Here are a few suggestions for enticing tinctures that won’t break the bank.
Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Brut Rosé 2014
With its fruity notes, fine bubbles, and vibrant pink hue, this bubbling rosé is perfect as an aperitif, a cheerful cork-popping kick-off to a festive knees-up. After a flute or two, you’ll be seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses, literally.
It’s also a terrific multi-tasker. You can skip the rouge, because this blushing libation will bring the colour to your cheeks. What’s more, the aroma is so intense, it could almost double as a dab of perfume on your décolletage…although you do run the risk of reeling in a naughty neck-nibbler.
The tasting notes say it will complement “delicate tarts,” so if that sounds like you, then definitely give this a go.
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Alcohol content: 11.5%
Normally £11.99, but it’s on sale at Ocado for just £7.99 through 3 January 2017
Sauvion Brut Crémant de Loire Blanc
For a beaut of a brut, check out this effervescent blend. Tiny columns of resolute bubbles soldier to the surface, bursting to release a whisper of raspberry fruitiness on the nose.
The grapes are manually harvested in the heart of the Loire Valley’s Saumur vineyard, so spare a thought — and drink a toast — to the hard-working folks in the fields.
Grapes: 60% Chenin, 20 % Cabernet Franc, 20 % Chardonnay
Alcohol content: 12%
£13.99 at Oxford Wine Company
Domaine Dampt Vieilles Vines 2015, Petit Chablis AOC
Petit Chablis may be the lesser known sibling of Chablis, which claims its own esteemed region in the northernmost wine district of Burgundy, but this little sister has a whole lot of sass.
It flows from the bottle in a pale golden green stream, revealing hints of elderflower, citrus and freshly mown grass. The clean, crisp minerality and fresh citrus taste tingle the tastebuds without weighing them down.
Grape: Chardonnay
Alcohol content: 12.5%
£13.99 at Laithwaites
Domaine de la Mandelière Robert Nicolle 2015, Chablis AOC
If it’s really got to be pure Chablis, consider the small, family run estate of Robert Nicolle’s Domaine de la Mandelière.
Nicolle’s vineyard, perched on a limestone ridge, has produced a medium-bodied dry white that encapsulates the best of the French countryside. Straw green in colour, the wine evokes the subtle scent of fresh hay, blessed with a zesty lemon essence.
Baby, it’s cold outside, but this lovely elixir drinks like a summer’s day.
Grape: Chardonnay
Alcohol content: 12.5%
£14.49 at Lathwaites
Read more about some excellent Chablis options HERE.