Wine Club 21 December

I write this from Camp Bah Humbug, whither I’ve been banished by my ever-loving. I had merely suggested that it might be time to dispense with a Christmas tree this year and that was it. Off I was sent to the gulag and told that if can’t say anything nice I’m not to say anything at all, and not to come down till supper.

Still, I’m surrounded by bottles and have the small telly and a laptop and am really rather happy. I’m happy, too, with my choices below, something of a greatest hits selection of wines that I’ve recommended recently from our friends at FromVineyardsDirect.

We start with the 2018 Rive Droite Rive Gauche (1), a white Côtes-du-Rhône blended from Viognier and Grenache Blanc with just a touch of Clairette and Bourboulenc, harvested from both banks of the Rhône, hence its name. I love such wines — soft, supple and creamy — and this, with its notes of apricots, peaches and citrus, is charming.