Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2008/January 2009 | Page 101

FOOD & DRINK

Tim Flint

life

How to choose your
Christmas wines

Choosing wines for the Christmas table can
be a daunting affair, and that usually has the
majority of us reaching for classic favourites
such as Chablis, Bordeaux and Port. Nothing
wrong with that, you may think, and right
you are. But when it comes to value for
money (or 'bang for your buck' as the
Americans say), it may pay to look elsewhere
- read on for a selection of classics and some
cheaper alternatives.
Champagne always helps to create a sense
of occasion, and many of us like to begin
proceedings with a glass or two of the fizzy
stuff. Joseph Perrier is a Grand Marque
Champagne house steeped in history; not
only is it one of the very few that can still
claim to be family run, it also supplied to
Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. The
standard NV Brut (£25.02) is a real treat
– few can resist the softness of the fruit
flavours and the length on the palate of this
fine Champagne. Best served as an aperitif,
it is also excellent with seafood and smoked
salmon.
Fancy 3 bottles of bubbles for less than
£25? One particular wine that has achieved
cult status in Seaview lately is Domenico
de Bertiol Prosecco (£7.66). Forget the
cheap and nasty £2.99 stuff you may find
at a certain European discount store - this
is the real thing. Fresh, appley and far too
easy-drinking, this is always a hit with the
ladies and perfect for a Christmas morning

tipple.
And what of a white wine to serve with
the turkey? The traditional match would of
course be a Chablis, and Gerard Trembley’s
‘Domaine des Iles’ (£10.63) displays a fuller
style of this classic wine that would provide
a perfect match to turkey or other poultry.
A great alternative, however, would be
Viu Manent Chardonnay from Chile (£6.78).
Complex, with lifted notes of tropical fruits,
backed up by a subtle biscuit like oak. This
has more than enough oomph to stand up
to the myriad of flavours floating around the
Christmas table.
Moving onto the red, the usual choice
would be something from Bordeaux
or Burgundy, and the Domaine Patrick
Miolane Saint Aubin 1er Cru (£14.67) will
not disappoint. A seductive nose, marked
by liquorice & cassis with a certain animal
character that lends an extra dimension.
Easily confused with some of the finer wines
of the region. A great match to either Turkey
or Beef (or if you are like me, both!).
Chile as a country have been producing
great value wines for quite a few years
now, but with ever increasing costs on
European wines, offers better value than
ever. By far one of the finds of the year, Viña
Ventisquero Pinot Noir Reserva (£6.78) is an
elegant example of this usually expensive
grape variety. It has a fresh and juicy attack,
a beautiful velvety structure, soft tannins

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and a lovely toasted coconut after-taste that
lingers on forever.
If, by this time, you still have the
constitution for Christmas pudding or some
Stilton then luckily wines that match the
pudding will also work with the cheese.
Traditionally this would have been a vintage
Port of some kind, and if you feel like a
treat then you won’t go far wrong picking
Weise & Krohn’s ‘Quinta da Retiro Nova’
1997 (£44.23). Quality in Port production
is measured by a number of factors, which
get converted into points. This Quinta scores
over 1200 points, putting it in the restricted
group of ‘class A’ properties.
If you would like an absolute bargain this
Christmas you should look towards the
1997 Colhieta Port (£13.95) from the same
producer. Colhieta Ports are single year Ports
of a high quality level which have to be
matured in wood for at least seven years.
This particular vintage is outstanding quality
and value for money. Snap it up now!
Hope this helps with your decision making
this Christmas - if not then just remember
the golden rule of wine drinking: 'The best
wine is the wine you enjoy'. Cheers!
By Tim Flint, Managing
Director of Eurovines Ltd
Tel: [phone]

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