Wine of the times

Home

Wine of the times

Fancy a decent bottle of wine to go with all that Christmassy nosh? Of course, you do. But which one to choose? Melissa Blease has gotta lotta bottle.

The season to be jolly is the perfect time for a good wine. Of course, the supermarkets go wine wacky right now, tempting us with a bargains and ‘premium ranges’ that create a veritable wine lake... but nasty mistakes are easy to make.

Good wine can’t be churned out on a production line; too many 'natural' elements influence the overall process, from the amount of rainfall and sun the grapes receive to the amount of natural yeast present in their skins. Skilled wine growers choose the right vine for their soil and climate (one grape variety may like the hilly slope at one end of the vineyard, for example, while another will prefer the gravelly soil at the bottom), and then there’s the blending to consider: each variety will bring a different character to the end result. Generally speaking, the smaller, independent vineyards produce some of the best wines – which is, of course, why you should contact our local experts for advice (and a taster, too!) rather than filling up your trolley with bargain plonk.

Before we start shopping, bear in mind that one bottle of fizz should serve five people for a celebratory toast. For dinner, allow about half a bottle of wine per person but keep a couple of extra bottles to hand (after all, it’s Christmas). The old rulebook that dictated white-with-fish/poultry, red-with-beef has long since been flung out of the window; visit http://www.foodandwinepairing.org/ for some simple but imaginative guidelines and suggestions. Now go forth and slurp. Cheers!

Tipple Traditionalists

Established in Bristol in 1793, Avery’s Wine Merchants is globally renowned for offering a constantly evolving range of top-class tipples. Festive case deals (12 bottles) abound right now, but you won’t go wrong if you grab their Christmas Top Twelve: an intelligent, multi-faceted selection that includes Italian Prosecco, Chilean and French Sauvignon Blanc, Australian Cab-Sauv, classic Chateau Tour Levite Bordeaux and Avery’s own Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, yours for £69.99. AVERY’S 9 CULVER ST, BRISTOL, BS1 5LD, TEL: 0117 921 4146, WEB: WWW.AVERYS.COM

Uncorked!

Lively, friendly and eminently approachable: if you’ve yet to acquaint yourself with the world of fine wine, the Corks of Cotham team (the same crew behind Cotham’s fabulous Top Banana-winning Flinty Red restaurant – see p.10) are about to become your new best friends. This totally independent retailer is very generous with both tasters and advice, all freely flowing in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. There’s a myriad of Christmas case deals on offer, alongside a neat range of festive beers and addictive chocolate vodka. Hic! CORKS OF COTHAM 54 COTHAM HILL, BRISTOL, BS6 6JX, TEL: 0117 973 1620, WEB: WWW.CORKSOF.COM

Nose to the Grindstone

Bristol’s newest independent wine merchant Grape & Grind is the brainchild of wine connoisseur Darren Willis, who began his career in wine at London’s Harvey Nichols before managing shops for award-winning independent London merchant Philglas & Swiggot (yes, really). G&G’s fascinating range encompasses both old and new world wines alongside port, sherry, sparkling wines and spirits to suit all tastes and budgets, with leaf tea and single estate coffee beans supplementing the selection. Wine Club cases are chosen to reflect the breadth of the range, and represent a very merry Christmas indeed. GRAPE & GRIND 101 GLOUCESTER ROAD, BRISTOL, BS7 8AT, TEL: 0117 924 8718, WEB: WWW.GRAPEANDGRIND.CO.UK

Western Winners

Great Western Wine was started in 1983 by wine connoisseur Philip Addis, with the aim of finding distinctive, top quality, hand-crafted wines from individual winemakers across the globe. Today, GWW stock a range of over 600 of the world's best and most individual wines, introduced to you by a team of enthusiastic vino professionals who combine in-depth knowledge with an infectious enthusiasm for the wines they work with. Festive events throughout December include a ‘Wines for Christmas Lunch’ tasting session on 18/19 December and celebratory mixed cases start at around £65. GREAT WESTERN WINE WELLS RD, BATH, BA2 3AP, TEL: 01225 322800, WEB: http://www.greatwesternwine.co.uk/

FOR MORE ON CHRISTMAS WINES AND FOOD, SEE THIS WEEK'S VENUE MAGAZINE (OUT WED 15 DEC)