Christmas Starts Here

This year’s Christmas recommendations are divided into three parts – echoing the traditional festive lunch time format.

Today’s focus is on what can come before the meal with potential aperitifs (principally ones with bubbles).

Next week, it’s the turn of wines for first or main course – both reds and whites.

Finally – on December 11 – it is the tailpieces to the meal that come into the limelight with wines to accompany desserts and, of course, digestifs.

The format for all three posts will be to provide at least one example in each of these three categories:

• Budget friendly options – that can also be considered for meals before the big day itself.
• Mid-range choices.
• Premium choices that suit what is, after all, our last remaining major feast day.

So, let’s take a closer look at what can precede the picking up of a knife and fork – by considering offerings that will enhance the run-up to the main event.

The objective is to find something that is (a) not over-heavy, (b) palate cleansing and (c) stimulates the appetite.

See what you think.

Once again, pictures and hyperlinks are included where possible to make it easier to track down the wine in question.

Starting with something familiar

2024 Taste the Difference Prosecco (£7.50 – down from £10 until 9 December – with a Nectar Card at Sainsbury’s and 10.5% abv):

While prosecco may be just a little too sweet as an aperitif for some tastes, I am prepared to bet it will make numerous appearances over Christmas.

So, make it one that is great value and soundly made (in contrast to some examples) and from a part of prosecco’s massive region noted for its quality.

Surrounded by a cream soda style texture, this brings us delicate nectarine, apple and melon flavours.

Those are neatly enhanced by the classic freshness and mild sweetness that has made prosecco so popular.

NB:- Sainsbury’s ask me to point out that this comes down to £5.63 with Nectar cards during their current ‘Buy 6, Save 25%’ promotion on selected wines.

Sticking with bubbles.

2022 Segura Viudas Brut Vintage Premium Cava (£10 – down from £12 until 1 December – with a Tesco Clubcard and 12%):

Prosecco’s rise in popularity had a major impact on Cava sales and producers there undertook a massive re-invention exercise.

That resulted in some brilliant examples like this.

As it is made by the same method as champagne, good cava can be an alternative to cheaper champagnes.

This one not only fulfils that role but is a great wine in its own right.

Bold yet surprisingly soft grapefruit, pear and tinned pineapple flavours provide the foundation here.

Building on that comes a lime-based tingle, mild toastiness, a long finish and a whisper of camomile.

Not forgetting champagne of course.

Bissinger Premier Cru Champagne (£19.99 – down £5 until 3 December with a Lidl Plus Card – and 12.5%):

“Premier Cru” is the second highest level champagne and must come from one or more of 40 or so prestigious villages.

Since there are around 250 “villages” in total, that gives an indication of the step up in quality that premier cru wines normally represent.

This is a particularly good example that fully justifies the 90 points in Lidl’s Masters of Wine scoring system.

Opening with small, busy bubbles and a subtle yeastiness, it features crisp apple, raspberry and melon flavours.

These are joined by lime acidity, a vibrant mouth-feel, brioche, vanilla and toast hints all within a vaguely mineral texture.

Moving gently up the price ladder.

Champagne Jules Camuset Brut (£26.81 at The Wine Society and 12%):

A bit like New World sauvignon blanc, some champagnes can be forceful in style and acidity, but this has a light touch that makes it a version with broad appeal.

The ideal clean and refreshing aspects are still very much in evidence, but the overall balance keeps it well away from being anything like heavy or pushy.

Delicate and with almost textbook bubble activity, it delivers restrained yet textured melon, peach stone and red apple flavours behind opening lemon peel aromas.

Additional components include lively, but not overly assertive, acidity and a long finish with orange, crusty bread and biscuit elements.

And then to a Home Run.

2022 Black Chalk Classic (£40 from their Winery at Andover, Hants and 12%):

Reports consistently underline how good English sparkling wine has become and here is the living proof that, in my view, vies with comparably priced champagne.

This is produced from the usual sparkling wine grapes (pinot meunier, chardonnay and led in this case by pinot noir) grown in vineyards close to the River Test.

With fresh aromas and small active bubbles, the result displays lingering orange, pear and cooked apple flavours.

These are supported by acidic grapefruit verve, an energetic mouthfeel and hints of hazelnuts and toast with a mild yeasty backdrop that also contains subtle minerality.

Moving onto fortifieds.

No. 1 Waitrose Torre del Oro Palo Cortado Sherry: (£13.95 at Waitrose and 18.5%):

Palo Cortado is sherry’s rarest style, beginning life as though destined to be a fino but then losing its protective yeast layer to become more like oloroso instead.

The result combines fino’s aromatics and delicacy with oloroso’s rich nuttiness – as this lovely example illustrates.

It is made for Waitrose by the renowned Lustau operation and is great value at this price for a 75cl bottle.  

Nut brown in colour and with those enticing spicy sherry aromas it is centred around smooth tangerine, mango and bruised apple flavours.

Also in attendance are almond, hazelnut and treacle elements all supercharged with enlivening lemon acidity.

And safely home to port.

Baronesa de Vilar White Port (Currently £9.99  – instead of £12.99 – at Laithwaites and 19.5%):

But not what you expect, for this is white port – and represents a luxurious aperitif.

Let’s be candid – white port can easily disappoint with commercially produced examples often dull, oxidised and one-dimensionally sweet.

This, though is a million miles from there; its flavours are varied but intense, sweetness is counterbalanced by acidity and there are supplementary herb and mineral components

Specifically, it is pale orange in colour with gently sweet aromas and contains complex peach, marmalade and currant flavours but with a contrasting savoury edge.

All this is coupled with suggestions of rosemary and honey within an attractive texture – yet everything is also pleasantly energised by firm acidity.

After today’s focus on Christmas Day, it’s back to Top Tip selections on Monday for budget (but great value) fare for parties or more general drinking.