Well, it’s almost upon us, the strangest of Christmases. Thrust into our ridiculous bubbles, some folk are stuck seeing the people they don’t want to see and other folk are stuck not seeing the people they do want to see. It’s all going to be very odd and not a little challenging.
The key to a passable Christmas, though, remains the same: wine and plenty of it. It’s more important to drink well than to drink heavily, of course, and with this very toothsome selection from Honest Grapes — Decanter’s Outstanding Wine Retailer of the Year 2020 — you can do just that. Drink well, that is. And if you take advantage of the very special Santa’s Selection you will drink very well indeed. What? Oh for heaven’s sake don’t panic, of course it’s got gin in it and, yes, yes, drinking heavily does indeed remain an option.
We start, though, with the 2019 Ch. Haut-Rian Blanc (1). I’m not usually a fan of dry white Bordeaux but this 60 per cent Sémillon, 40 per cent Sauvignon Blanc blend from the Entre-Deux-Mers quite turned my head. Crisp, clean and lemon-fresh with grassy notes and herbs, it makes an invigorating apéritif. £12.20 down from £13.20.
Six cannily sourced bottles perfect for Christmas plus an essential Santa’s Selection
The 2019 Ch. Pesquié Terrasses Blanc (2) from the slopes of Mont Ventoux in Provence is right up my street. A blend of Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Clairette, it’s fresh yet weighty and beautifully textured. It’s teasingly aromatic with plenty of peach, apricot and spring blossom. I love wines like this. £14.40 down from £15.40.
The 2019 Domaine de l’Ostal Rosé (3) from the heart of the Languedoc boasts impeccable pedigree, owned as it is by the fabled Cazes family, proprietors of mighty Ch.
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