Willing wine tasters raise a glass to fine festive fare

Dec 11 2009 by Helen Savage, The Journal

Several of Louis Jadot’s impeccably well made wines stepped up to the plate with aplomb, especially two white wines, Pernand Vergelesses 2007 (£18.99 at Majestic), which is creamy, nutty and balanced by crisp lemony fruit and Meursault 2007 (£23.99 at Sainsbury’s and Waitrose), which is richer, ever nuttier, more buttery and lingers longer too.

Both would be heaven with Christmas smoked salmon - as would a good Chablis. Sainsbury’s own Chablis 2008 (£8.99) is a fresh, lemony, bargain, while Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Nobilo Reserve 2008 (on offer at just £4.99 in Morrisons) would also be good. My group liked its typically crisp, gooseberry fruit a lot.

One of the group suggested that too often Christmas pudding is served with wine as well. She’s right. Even without the brandy butter, a good plum pud will see off most wines with their tail between their legs, except perhaps, Madeira.

We all loved Barbeito 10-year-old Malvasia, which is sweet, but enlivened with lovely orangey acidity (£22.33 at Richard Granger Fine Wines and worth every penny). Other sweet wines come into their own far better with cheese.

All three that we tried together won high praise. Hermit’s Hill Botrytised Semillon 2005 (£6.99 for a half bottle at Marks and Spencer) is great value. It has a lovely intense, refreshing lemony tang to balance its sweetness. The Australian winery that made it, De Bertoli, also have their ‘Noble One’ 2006 on the shelves at Oddbins, Waitrose and Majestic (£14.99 a half bottle). It’s much richer, with concentrated apricot-like fruit.

But the best buy was deemed to be from Chile: Anakena Late Harvest, a blend of Muscat and Viognier (£6.75 for 50cl from Lance Strother). It’s deliciously grapey and spicy.

Wine of the week

Marqués de le Concordia, Tempranillo, Rioja 2007 Oddbins £6.99

DEEP, young red with a sweetly ripe smell and taste of plummy fruit and vanilla, rounded off by a toasty finish. Generously fruity, satisfying and well worthy of a place at the Christmas dinner table.