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Christmas tipples to guide you through the day
I love Christmas. I still get excited about it – what’s not to love about all-day feasting, hanging out with the family and, of course, PRESENTS. In recent years, I’ve added another component to the excitement, and that’s choosing some special wines to celebrate the day with. I see it as a time to splash out and let it all hang out, so I have no problem with pairing wines with every part of the day, starting with present-opening to slouching on the couching for the big post-cheeseboard movie. Here are my suggestions for the big day – dip in and out of them or enjoy them all!
Tasting Note: Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is the famous white grape of Bordeaux, but it seems like these days, Marlborough in New Zealand is just as well-known for it. In France, Sauvignon Blanc is all citrus (lemons and limes), green fruits (gooseberry, green apple) and usually some asparagus. It always possesses a high, refreshing acidity, and the cooler the climate, the leaner and crisper this wine will be. The climate is cool too in Marlborough - well, up in those high altitude vineyards it is - but there is sunshine pretty much all day every day. This gives a riper style of Sauvignon Blanc and this is where you get that incredible passionfruit filling your mouth so distinctly that sometimes you expect the glass to be bright yellow when you push it back from your lips!
Lez Arts: It’s all about the magnum, baby!
Lez Arts, a rosé produced by Marrenon from the Luberon in the South of France, is only available in magnum size in the UK, which says it all, really - this is a good time wine! Where is the Luberon, I hear you ask, as you strain your ears waiting for the word ‘Provence’. Well, even though it is in the greater Provence area, this is, very uniquely, a Luberon rosé.
Tasting note: Fleur de Mer Rosé
Ah! The summer is here and this very bottle makes me think of skipping across a lavender-flecked hillside, white dress billowing, hair flowing behind – perhaps I am carrying a basket of flowers or – even better – freshly picked herbs to make dinner with later in my stone-cobbled kitchen overlooking the sea? How Provençal indeed! It’s amazing what a label can do and this one has a dreamy, curly script across it, spelling ‘Fleur de Mer’, flower of the sea. And, if you ever visit the website of this wine, you are greeted with pretty watercolour paintings of lavender loveliness.