So, this is the December blog. Christmas is approaching at a rapid rate of knots and I expect you'll be checking up on the latest wines to pair with your roast turkey, leg of lamb, or a trendy beef wellington. The easy answers to the above are (1) Burgundy - Pinot Noir for the red and Chardonnay for the white, (2) Rioja or Merlot based reds, and (3) Bordeaux - Cabernet Sauvignon. If you want more details and suggestions, go to the "Turkeys voting for Christmas" blog from last year. Panic over, problem solved, plenty of time left to place an order and get everything in place. It's good to be organised, but most people still leave all their festive shopping until Christmas Eve. "Twas ever thus!", said a voice from above (or was that just the wind blowing outside the window?).
To be honest, I'm open to trying almost anything with a traditional Christmas meal. If the food is going to be the best available, then pick a bottle of the finest quality wine you can manage. We're happy to make recommendations. Come and see us instore (Yes, you can find real, experienced people here who know a thing or two about wine), or give us a call on the phone (Note to any Gen Z: That's what a mobile is actually designed to do - having a conversation). We'll even respond to an email in a timely fashion. What a quaint idea!
Fast forward to the big day. Everything went as expected (even your "Uncle Andrew" behaved himself this year) and there was considerable merriment and happiness all round. The turkey was moist and roasted to perfection, those embarassing party hats fitted and cracker jokes were actually funny. Not a harsh word was heard all day, even after the extra glass of red, and everyone in the family volunteered to be on washing up duty.
But the question you need to ask is, "Can it all be perfect again tomorrow?"... Two days in a row? Has this ever happened? Could it be a Christmas miracle? Does Santa Claus really exist? OK, that's more than one question, but who's counting?
Boxing Day morning arrives and, if your eyes are still a bit blurry, make sure you start the way you mean to carry on throughout the day. Check the fridge for something fizzy that doesn't need an implement to open. You don't want to be operating heavy machinery (the foil cutter knife & corkscrew) at such an early hour before your senses are fully recovered from the previous day's excitement. Keep the health & safety department on side. You know they're a bunch of professional killjoys!
The wonderfully balanced Vintage Veuve Clicquot with its naturally fresh character, wood notes, vanilla, lovely acidity, pear and brioche would find a space in my fridge this Christmas. A joy to drink extra chilled for breakfast!
If you're going straight to leftovers on Boxing Day, rather than cooking a proper gammon joint (try this pork dish with some sweeter, late harvest German Riesling Spatlese) or preparing a whole salmon and seafood spread (it's got to be a Marlborough Sauvignon with this), the UK favourite is definitely going to be the turkey curry. Personally, I can't get enough hot and spicy curries and turkey will work just as well as the more usual chicken in these recipes. Whether your taste is at the milder Korma end of the flavour and spice spectrum, or a fiery, red-hot Vindaloo, you'll find a suitable wine to pair with your choice. Don't forget the garlic naan bread to help soak up the alcohol.
(Food Fact: Who can forget the attack on Lister by the infamous [mutton] Vindaloo curry beast in Red Dwarf? It must have kept Dave in takeaways for weeks. If you've never seen the full episode, look it up on YouTube. It's hilarious!)
Curries are either mildly spicy or full of chilli heat and your wine pairing can either match the level of spice or cool it down a bit. An unoaked Chateauneuf-du-Pape will often have flavour notes of pepper or ginger which will be perfect with mild curries. On the other hand, a slightly sweet and spicy Gewurztraminer white will calm your taste buds after the first mouthful of a really hot curry. There's science behind all of this food and wine matching, you know.
With the bird finally relegated to making stock, the remaining meat can be used for that great British staple, the sandwich. Whenever you're feeling peckish, or if using it as an alternative main meal during the week, there's nothing better than a filling sandwich using a freshly baked, crusty sourdough loaf as a base. I came across this delicious looking recipe whilst doing some research the other day.
Starting with two toasted slices of sourdough, add mayonnaise, cranberry sauce and some finely sliced onion, continuing with a layer of exceptionally soft and creamy Triple Crème Brie cheese, followed by the turkey slices. Top it all off with some wild rocket leaves and it's ready to eat. Full fat, but who cares? The diet won't begin until the New Year.
This wonderful sandwich is going to need a refreshing, cleansing white to cut through all that healthy fat, so why not try something from Italy? A crisp and zingy Pecorino from the wild highlands of Abruzzo looks like an ideal wine to try with this. A great quaffing wine, Pecorino is priced sensibly for everyday drinking and those endless turkey leftovers are going to give you plenty of reasons to pour yourself a glass.
Now we come to the thorny subject of mince pies. I'm quite happy to never see one outside of the Christmas and New Year festivities, but, once I fail to resist the lure of their inevitable temptation, it's a no-holds-barred rush to eat as many as possible, as quickly as possible. Very sad, I realise, and very fattening, but, once the box has been opened and the first pie consumed, I consider the remaining contents inside to be "leftovers" which need to be used before they "go off". Surprisingly, I've found that a really dry Champagne is a great combination to the tangy sweetmess of the pie (sort of sweet/sour combination), but the usual vinous accompaniment is a sweet sherry. You can use a cream sherry, or the even the ultra rich Pedro Ximenez (P.X.). With a luscious texture, flavours and aromas of toffee, figs, chocolate and dried fruit, these truly are heavenly wines!
