For winelovers, Christmas is a time when we look forward to drinking – and even sharing – a special bottle or two. This might be a classic wine with traditional fare or just something different we’ve wanted to try for a while. I asked some wine loving friends what they were looking forward to and they have kindly agreed to write a blog post for me.
Effi Tsournava works in the UK wine trade and is currently Brand Manager at Maisons Marques et Domaines Ltd. She is also an established wine blogger at effidrinkswine.com.
Two wines to elevate your Christmas festivities game
2017 must have been the quickest year of my whole life!
It sound like such a cliché but I HONESTLY feel like Christmas was just a few months ago but certainly not almost 12 months ago! For this feeling of complete restlessness, I enjoy blaming my WSET Diploma course but at the same time, this is what has made this year so unbelievably exciting. Learning about the plethora of wine styles around the globe has made me even more curious and certainly thirstier!
Since I have been enjoying far too many beautiful wines at my WSET course this year to make you feel sorry for my workload, I thought it was only fair to branch out and introduce some other than Greek wines on the Tsournavas’ Christmas table this year and see how I can satisfy the delectable taste buds of my friends and family!
Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Grand Cru Saering 2014: I have always been a big fan of Riesling’s tantalising vibrancy of fruit and unmistakable freshness and complexity. Sometimes, it can be quite tricky to tempt people to try a variety that they either might have never heard of before or they did and didn’t particularly like!
Alsatian Riesling is characterised by this distinctive elegance and power with a tremendous amount of freshness and complexity but with lots of finesse and elegance. This one from Schlumberger never ceases to surprise me! The family owns more grand cru vineyards than anyone else in Alsace and their Saering shows a fantastic spectrum of sweet lime, waxed lemon, cold honey and elegant hints of minerality and kerosene. Delicious!
Excellent with curries, oriental cuisine, shellfish or even cabbage dolmades! I usually invite my friends over for pre-Christmas lunch and this would go down like a dream!
Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Grand Cru Saering 2014 (12.5%): available for £17-£20 from The Wine Society, Davy’s, Harrods, Oxford Wine Company
Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2013: Mazzei is one of the oldest and most important winemaking families in Italy with 25 generations of history. Sometimes, you need that much of experience in order to produce such a world class Sangiovese! This wine is a cross between James Dean and Steve McQueen; a rare blend of charm, sophistication and seduction.
Awarded “Best Chianti” in the last Decanter World Wine Awards, this is the Sangiovese of dreams! The result of 120 single vineyards and equal number of individual vinifications, made from 36 clones of Sangiovese (18 unique to Fonterutoli), this Italian red is the essence of “Super Chianti Classico”. Tons of black berries, redcurrant and juicy red cherries, dark chocolate and finely ground coffee with the silkiest mouthfeel! Is this how true love really feels like? Try with Christmas lunch paired with wild boar sausages and steaks cooked with prunes.
Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2013 (14.0%): available for £45 – £50 from Harrods, Davy’s, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Il Toscanaccio, Petersham Cellar.
The full series of Wines at Xmas:
- Wines at Xmas #1 – Moscato d’Asti – Sam Logan of WinesDirect
- Wines at Xmas #2 – Champagne Pierre Moncuit – Jérémy Delannoy of SIYPS
- Wines at Xmas #3 – Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir – Carol Smaul of Gin & Griddle
- Wines at Xmas #4 – Ch Phelan Segur 2010 – Phil Green of Phil My Glass
- Wines at Xmas #5 – Charles Heidsieck & Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande Douro Tinto – Joe Coyle of Liberty Wines
- Wines at Xmas #6 – Bellavista Franciacorta – Jean Smullen of Movies + Booze
- Wines at Xmas #7 – Antoniolo Gattarina & Pfalz Riesling – Jim Dunlop
- Wines at Xmas #8 – Maison Róisín Curley & Le Grappin – Mick O’Connell MW
- Wines at Xmas #9 – Finca Allende Rioja & Weingut Winter Rheinhessen ‘Kloppberg’ Riesling – Colly Murray of RetroVino
- Wines at Xmas #10 – Conde Valdemar Gran Reserva Rioja & Warre’s Otima 10 Tawny Port – Kerri Judge of Febvre Wines
- Wines at Xmas #11 – Elio Perrone Moscato d’Asti – James Hubbard
- Wines at Xmas #12 – Furlan Rose & Ca’Salina Giorgia -Julia Phillips of Just Perfect Wines
- Wines at Xmas #13 – Mas Coutelou – Alan March of A March in the Vines
- Wines at Xmas #14 – Gere Kopar 2002 – Richie Magnier of A Motley Cru
- Wines at Xmas #15 – Moment of Silence 2015 Blank Bottle & Emilien Château le Puy 2014 – Barbara Boyle MW of WineMason
- Wines at Xmas #16 – Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Grand Cru Saering 2014 & Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2013 – Effi Tsournava of Maisons Marques et Domaines & effidrinkswine.com
- Wines at Xmas #17 – Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino – Sorcha Holloway of Away With Wine
Reblogged this on Effi drinks wine and commented:
It was a such a huge pleasure being invited by Franky to share my thoughts on my most beloved Christmas wines! A longer version of my Christmas Wine List coming up soon!