Q: What’s the best wine to pair with Christmas dinner?
We’re often asked this question, and the answer is you should simply pick what you enjoy drinking, and aim to complement the most powerful flavours on the plate (usually the stuffing and the gravy), rather than match to the meat or poultry. If you’re cooking the ‘classic’ roast turkey with all the trimmings, a good red Bordeaux or Burgundy is a popular choice, while for something a little different you could opt for a Piedmont Nebbiolo from North Italy, a Spanish Rioja, or a New Zealand Pinot Noir. If your preference is for a white, try a full-flavoured Chardonnay – perhaps a fine white Burgundy, or an oaked American or Chilean alternative.
Q: What’s a good wine to accompany dessert, and the cheese course?
This will largely depend on your choice of dessert (or desserts), and the specific varieties you’ve laid out on your cheese board. But if you’re looking for a tasty all-rounder, which will match all demands – from fruited Christmas pud’ to rich chocolate alternatives, and from a ripe Brie to a mature Stilton – we can heartily recommend our Rutherglen Muscat, with its plum, raisin, sweet spice and orange peel notes.
Q: Why should I buy wine at £8-15 when there are some great deals in supermarkets at this time of year?
There’s nothing wrong with buying wine on special offer – but supermarket pricing can mean that you’re not actually getting a truly great deal. For example, a £9.99 bottle, reduced to £4.99, is often only worth £4.99 anyway (as little as 50p of which is the cost of the wine itself). The benefit of using an independent merchant is that you know every bottle has been selected for its excellent value and superior quality – and not on lowest cost or the volume of supply, as might be the case with supermarket selections. Spend £7 or more with an independent specialist, and the wine delivers so much more in terms of flavour and balance (not too acidic, not obviously alcoholic); you’ll find your enjoyment increases with the quality. See Mr.Wheeler’s Top 100 wines for Christmas here.
Q: I usually buy well-known brands of Champagne, but are there better value alternatives?
In short, yes. Well-known brands have often become that way because they’ve had a lot of money spent on marketing, plus the larger Champagne houses are producing great volumes, which means they purchase grapes from various producers to blend to their house style (so subtlety of flavour can be compromised). Smaller, family owned estates using 100% of their own grapes generally produce the best Champagnes. Our favourite is Michel Guilleminot, with its fresh, fragrant fruit on the nose; crunchy berry fruit flavours combining with a classic biscuity note and a gentle mousse; and an appetising, pure, vibrant accent. It represents stunning value.
