The Ivy introduces Ivy Green Friday, offering complimentary bubbles to all diners on the day.
This January, The Ivy Collection launches its first-ever Ivy Green Friday to brighten spirits as the festive season comes to an end.
On Friday, 10th January, Ivy restaurants nationwide* will offer diners a complimentary glass of bubbles, whether they’ve made a reservation or are stopping by spontaneously.
Guests can choose between The Ivy Cuvée or Wild Idol Naturally Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine, making Ivy Green Friday a perfect opportunity to connect with loved ones and shake off the winter blues.
Laura Mills, Managing Director at The Ivy Collection, said: “After December’s festivities and the first full working week of the New Year, a little treat is well-deserved. A glass of bubbles has a way of making any day feel special, and with options like The Ivy Cuvée or Wild Idol Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine, there’s something for everyone – even those doing Dry January. It’s the perfect excuse to get out, catch up with friends, or enjoy quality time with family, despite the chilly weather.”
Ivy Green Friday will take place on Friday, 10th January, from 11.30am until close. Guests can enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles with the purchase of a main course.
*The Ivy Green Friday offer will not be available at The Ivy West Street, The Ivy Buchanan Street, Glasgow and The Ivy On The Square, Edinburgh.
**One complimentary glass of either The Ivy Cuvée or Wild Idol Naturally Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine per person can be redeemed with the purchase of a main meal from 11:30am. Booking is not required; however, walk-in’s will be subject to restaurant availability. One glass per person (18+) at managers discretion. While stocks last.
Enjoy a Burns Night supper in Gerrards Cross on Friday, 31st January, and raise funds for Gerrards Cross Community Association (GXCA), a charity which formed in 1947
Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of Scottish poet Robert Burns (25th January 1759 – 21st July 1796).
One of its traditions is the address to the haggis and this speciality (plus a veggie option) will be served at The GXCA supper, along with neeps and tatties, served with whisky and redcurrant gravy. Guests can also tuck into starters of smoked salmon with prawns and avocado mousse or grapefruit and watermelon salad with rocket and mozzarella and pudding is a trio: raspberry and Drambuie trifle, double chocolate brownie and lemon tartlet.
GXCA was formed in 1947 to promote the wellbeing of the community and “to advance education, to provide a meeting place… for recreation and social, moral, spiritual and intellectual development and to foster a community spirit.”
Today, the team offer educational classes in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council and other adult education providers.
Gerrards Cross Community Association in East Common, SL9 7AD, is home to clubs, societies, adult education groups, a youth centre and leisure facilities. Rooms can be booked for a variety of social functions (clubs, parties, weddings etc) and for business meetings.
The charity is financed by subscriptions, rentals and various fund-raising activities throughout the year, including the February Attic Sale and the Jumble Sale in September. More local members are welcome. To find out more or to book your Burns Supper tickets (£60pp) please visit Community Events l Venue Hire l GXCA or you can call 01753 883759.
The team at The White Hart at Fyfield have earned a spot in the Good Food Guide’s inaugural 50 Best Sunday Roasts 2024
January is not a joyful month. But one surefire way to beat the winter blues is to settle into the majestic White Hart and feast like a king. The Good Food Guide judges agree which is why the team have won a coveted award for the perfect roast.
Foodies are spellbound by this restaurant and pub, owned by chef Mark Chandler and his wife Kay, which occupies a beautifully converted 15th century chantry house, with a kitchen garden, in one of the county’s prettiest spots.
If you haven’t been (it’s amazing how many lifelong locals haven’t), you’re in for a right royal treat. Grahame Wickham joined as head chef last February after earning a galaxy of star accolades around the world, as well as starring as a quarter-finalist on MasterChef The Professionals and a finalist twice in the last two National Chef of the Year contests.
He and the team have been blowing foodies’ socks off with dishes that celebrate the best seasonal produce (you’ll often find the chefs foraging locally). Popular favourites on the menu which show the kitchen’s skills (and might blow your mind) include popular nibbles such as Korean chicken with pickled red onion, chilli and sesame. From the off, you know you’re in excellent hands but make sure to arrive hungry to make room for the epic feasts which feel fitting in the gorgeous triple-height baronial dining room: think heavy doors, antlers galore and gloriously comfortable thrones and banquettes to settle into for an afternoon.
Aside from the roasts (the Yorkshire puds alone deserve a medal), stand-out dishes include the monkfish bourguignon with smoked pancetta, wild mushrooms, Grelot onions, spinach puree, red wine jus (£32), or how about pan-roasted duck breast, confit Roscoff onion, wilted greens, toasted pumpkin seeds, sweet potato fondant, preserved plums, balsamic and plum ketchup, duck and plum sauce (£31)?
Impossible as it seems, make sure you have room to try the puddings which are a whole other level! You’re sure of plenty of nutty and nice creations, with a brain-melting array of flavours, as well as the homemade ice creams, from pear through to coffee and caramel.
Since taking on The White Hart in 2005, Mark and Kay have lovingly restored this beautiful, old building to its former glory, and have built its reputation as a gourmet destination. Their carefully curated wine list focuses on small, independent makers and there’s a selection of local real ales, including best seller, White Hart ale, brewed at nearby Loose Cannon.
Dry January? No thank you! We’re raising a glass to the Bucks booze heroes who are mixing things up with an array of local tipples
Starting any new venture takes a lot of bottle. But when there’s a market thirsty for an idea, this can give any entrepreneur a shot of Dutch courage.
This is what happened – over lockdown – to sesh-loving brother and sister duo Tash & Antosh Samek, the co-founders of Rythmik Cocktails. “The bar Antosh owned, Clayton’s in Marlow, was closed and customers asked him to deliver his cocktails,” explains Tash. “As a brand strategist working in the drinks industry, I joined forces with him to turn it into a brand: Rythmik. And the rest, as they say, is history!”
The cocktails were such a hit that Antosh closed the bar over a year ago. The siblings, who grew up locally, going to Chesham High & Challoner’s, now focus on the business, based in Amersham. Rythmik uses top-quality ingredients to create range of pre-mixed cocktails and Tash & Antosh choose suppliers that share their values. This includes local companies such as Marlow Gin, whose spirit provides the base of their renowned Marlow Negroni and Griffiths Brothers vodka in their Espresso Martini. They sell their bottles online at Rythmik Cocktails and they are also stocked in more than 30 local shops and bars.
Antosh adds: “The singular purpose of Rythmik Cocktails is to put everything that people loved about the bar – top quality and creative drinks, music and vibe – into a bottle. It’s why out pre-mixed bottles cocktails are bar-strength and bar quality as they encompass years of experience at the helm of an award-winning bar. Each cocktail comes with its own playlist, a set of tracks we’ve made to match the vibe of the drink. So you can Sip To The Sounds!”
The Griffiths Brothers – AKA Alex & Drew – are another pair of siblings united by a challenge they’d set themselves, namely: “Could we create a gin from from scratch that would impress family and friends? It soon became an obsession. We wanted to produce the best hand-crafted gin around.” So Drew and Alex started scouting around for a proper home for their still. Luckily, a family friend who owned a 1930s aircraft factory, converted into industrial units tucked away in Penn Street, had some disused storage space up for grabs.
“We are Bucks’ first multi-award-winning craft distillery,” says Alex, who grew up in Beaconsfield and lives in Marlow. “We use a special distillation method that gives our spirits a soft, clean finish, brighter more natural flavour notes. Cold distillation is more complex, but the results speak for themselves.”
The Griffiths’ beloved still is home to two rotary evaporators, “Roberta” and “Aretha” who still each botanical in glass, with the highest quality 100% organic wheat spirit. The spirit vapour is then condensed at -8C and each botanical distillation is stored for the flavour to mellow before being combined – by hand – to produce the finished gin. Finally, each batch is tasted and every bottle is signed.
“We are here for decerning drinkers,” says Alex. “I love pubs, although I don’t get enough time to spend in them. I like old-school pubs. The George Ale House in Great Missenden is a classic example.” Visit Griffiths Brothers Distillery
Wine fans can also find veritable treasures here. Marcus Rees’ new book Oxfordshire Uncorked includes a few gems on this side of the county. He recommends Chiltern Valley Winery & Brewery, whose team run regular tours and tastings throughout January. “Winter is a good time to visit so you can also enjoy discounts on their luxury B&B accommodation. They even offer a cookery school as well as weddings and parties in their lovely, converted bar. Chiltern Valley was established in 1980 and produces a wide range of still and sparkling wines, all available to take home or to enjoy on-site by the bottle or glass. In addition, the team offer bottle-conditioned ales brewed on-site, and a food van open every day serving coffee as well as hot and cold food. Try the lovely sparkling wines which have an extremely fine fizz on the palate, or their oaked white wines with tropical fruit flavours – not always expected in English wines.” For more info visit Chiltern Valley Winery and Brewery
At Radnage Daws Hill vineyard and winery was planted in 2004 and is run by Holly Morgan, producing sparkling wines only, made traditionally, like Champagne. Holly relies on a team volunteers to help her in the vineyard. October saw another successful sushi and wine evening the Sakana (Sakana Oxford) an online Japanese food service based in Chinnor. Other popular events include food foraging (next one in March), wine blending workshop and regular cheese pairings. Marcus continues: “Daws Hill produces lovely sparkling wines from the Auxerrois grape – common in Cremant d’Alsace wines – and from the big three Champagne grapes – Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. They even produce an unusual, elegant cider made in the same way as the wines with a second fermentation in the bottle – lovely with a cheese or pork pie!” Daws Hill Vineyard
Marcus adds: “Just outside Marlow, Harrow & Hope makes high-end sparkling wines from the three classic Champagne varieties – Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Henry & Fate Laithwaite planted the vineyard in 2010 and aim to let the grapes and their wines express the ‘terroir’ of the vineyard, which is now certified organic.” Bottles start at £33 and are available from Laithwaite’s as well as independent delis and merchants such as Grape Expectations in Marlow. Visit Harrow & Hope & Oxfordshire Uncorked
We’re sharing a taste of Healthy Air Fry Feasts: Fast, Easy, High-Protein Recipes in 30 Mins or Less by Christina Kynigos, AKA @VeryHungryGreek
Garlic butter Bolognese crispy tacos
My most viral recipe, levelled up! Tacos filled with Bolognese sauce and lashings of cheese, then brushed with garlic butter and air-fried until crispy. A firm family favourite. You can freeze the Bolognese, but the tacos are best eaten fresh.
Serves four Prep: Five minutes Cooking time: 23-25 minutes
Ingredients: • Non-stick cooking spray • One onion, finely diced • Six chestnut mushrooms, finely diced • 500g lean beef mince • Two beef stock cubes, dissolved in 250ml boiling water • 500g passata • One heaped tsp dried mixed herbs • A pinch of garlic granules • 1tsp ground black pepper • Pinch of sweetener (or sugar) • Eight mini tortilla wraps • 200g grated light mozzarella
For the garlic butter • 30g light butter, melted • A pinch of dried parsley • ½ tsp garlic granules
Method 1. Mix the garlic butter ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. 2. Spray a pan with some oil spray, place over a low to medium heat, add the onion and mushrooms and fry for a few minutes to soften, then add the beef mince and fry for a further three or four minutes, stirring to brown it all over and break up any clumps. 3. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the tortilla wraps and mozzarella, mix well and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. 4. Let the Bolognese cool slightly before using it to fill the tortillas. Add the mozzarella, fold over, then brush with the garlic butter and air-fry at 200°C for 3-4 minutes. Flip them over and air-fry for a further three or four minutes, until golden and crispy.
Cinnamon Buns
You just can’t beat fluffy cinnamon buns with a cream cheese icing, so I’ve made a high-protein version using my trusty two-ingredient dough to add protein but still keep the amazing texture.
Serves one Prep: Five minutes Cooking time: eight minutes
Ingredients: • 40g 0% fat Greek yogurt • 40g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting • 2tsp light butter, melted • ½ tsp ground cinnamon • 1 tsp granulated sweetener (or sugar) For the cream cheese icing • 25g light cream cheese • 1 tsp icing sugar
Method: 1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt and flour together to form a dough. Flour the work surface and a rolling pin and roll it out into a rectangle, around the thickness of a pound coin. 2. Brush over the melted butter, then evenly sprinkle over the cinnamon and sweetener. Roll up the dough into a log, then slice in half. 3. With the sliced side facing up, use your hand to gently press down and flatten each piece slightly. Using the brush you used earlier for the butter, brush any remaining butter around a small baking dish, then place the cinnamon buns inside. 4. Air-fry at 170°C for 8 minutes until golden and cooked, then let them cool for a few minutes. 5. Mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl. Spread the cream cheese icing over the buns and devour.
Extract credit: Healthy Air Fry Feasts: Fast, Easy, High-Protein Recipes in 30 Mins or Less by Christina Kynigos (HQ, HarperCollins Publishers). Image credit Ellis Parrinder.
Our wine expert Giles Luckett explores some cool wines from a land down under…
January brings Australia Day and my annual celebration of Aussie wine. I’ve been doing this so long I now can’t recall whether I started in relation to it or the other way around, but this year I’m looking at the cooler side of things with some cracking cool climate Australian Wines.
First up, a Sauvignon, the RedHeads Princess of Thieves Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (£10.49 Laithwaites). A Tasmanian winemaker once told me that Australian Sauvignon was ‘a weed that needs grubbing up’. He obviously hadn’t tried this. Produced in the cool of the Adelaide Hills, this is excellent with great intensity and an arresting purity. It opens with a piercing, zingy bouquet of gooseberries, lemons and flint smoke. In the mouth it’s just as enthusiastic, dropping gooseberry, rhubarb, and lemon fruit bombs across the tongue that leave minerals, lime peel and spearmint in their wake. A great solo sipper, this has the intensity to partner everything from fish pie to a green Thai curry.
Next, the coolest of cool whites from my favourite cool climate region, the Moorooduc Estate Chardonnay 2021 (£25.95 NY Wines) from Mornington Peninsula. Mornington Peninsula is a spit of land that lies to the south of Melbourne which by dint of being surrounded on three sides by water enjoys exceptional growing conditions. Here the McIntyre family produce wines of breath-taking quality that combine New World energy with Old World refinement. The Estate Chardonnay is white gold with a nose of blossoms, lemon, nectarine and peach. On the palate it’s fresh and zesty with a charge of white peach, grapefruit and lemon followed by delicate notes of orange zest, crushed nuts and red pears. Delicious now with fish or roasted fowl, it’s got time on its side.
And so, to the reds, and the queen of grapes in the shape of the Robert Oatley Signature Pinot Noir (£14.30 VINUM). Produced from grapes grown in the Yarra Valley, this is a wonderful example of that rarest of wine gems, an affordable Pinot Noir. Mid-red with a summery nose of wild strawberries, red cherries and spiced raspberries, its soft, velvety body offers a gentle combination of cooked red fruits, cream, and oriental spices. A taste of summer to accompany the wintry nights ahead.
I’ll finish with one of the best Shiraz I’ve had in years. The Mount Langi Ghiran 2021 Cliff Edge (Great Wines Direct £19.60) is a masterclass in cool climate winemaking. Hailing from the Grampians region of New South Wales, it conveys Shiraz’s complexity and concentration without being overwhelmingly powerful. From its beautiful blue-black robe rise notes of zesty cassis and fresh red berries with a touch of menthol, smoky oak, cherry jam and wild herbs. The palate balances freshness and weight with crisp blackcurrants, blackberries, plums and blueberries offset by mint, mineral, and Parma violet hints. A class act, pair this with slow-cooked red meats, tomato-rich pasta dishes, or falafel.
Well, that’s it for now, next month, it’s for the love of wine.
Tom Kerridge & Sarah Hayward have brought some of their best-loved dishes back to menus to celebrate 10 happy years at The Coach
Behind every great team is (at least one) great woman, to mangle the phrase! And Sarah Hayward, who has worked alongside Tom Kerridge for 10 years, is at the heart of The Coach’s success.
“The Coach has been my home for so many years and celebrating its 10th anniversary is incredibly special,” says Sarah.
A selection of the pub’s most loved dishes from the past decade will be incorporated into the main menu throughout the birthday year and will change periodically to bring back a variety of cherished favourites from The Coach’s history. Each dish is embossed with a bespoke 10th anniversary logo. Dishes include potted Cornish crab with smoked paprika butter and cucumber chutney (£16.50), The Coach Chicken Kiev with Cauliflower Cheese (£29) and The Coach profiteroles with soured vanilla cream and dark chocolate sauce (£12.50).
“This menu is a tribute to our loyal guests and the amazing team who make The Coach what it is,” adds Sarah. “I’m excited to revisit some of our best dishes and share them with everyone.”
Tom Kerridge has also teamed up with the team at local brewery Rebellion Beer to create an IPA for the occasion called Decade. A local institution since 1993, Rebellion is renowned for its high-quality ales crafted using the Chiltern Hills’ natural resources and have collaborated with The Coach since the opening 10 years ago. A portion of proceeds will be donated to local charity, Meals from Marlow.
In 2015, Sarah joined The Hand & Flowers, Tom Kerridge’s two-Michelin starred pub and after just three months was promoted to chef de partie. Just two years later in 2017, Sarah joined The Coach as junior sous chef, before promotion to her first head chef role at The Bull & Bear in Manchester’s The Stock Exchange Hotel in 2019. In 2021 Sarah returned to The Coach as head chef where she knows the kitchen inside out. She has led the team, and herself, to achieve prestigious accolades, including being named Michelin Young Chef of the Year 2023, retaining a Michelin Star since 2018, Number 21 in Top 50 Gastro Pubs 2024, and 3 AA Rosettes 2024.
Tom Kerridge adds: “The Coach has always been about serving high-quality food in a relaxed and welcoming environment, and Sarah embodies that vision perfectly. I’m so proud of what the team has achieved and can’t wait to see how we continue to evolve in the years ahead.”
For more info, the menu or to book please visit The Coach Marlow
Treat your loved ones to the gift of festive macarons from Giselle Richardson – the most delicious way to celebrate Christmas this year.
The hunt for the perfect last-minute Christmas gift just got a whole lot sweeter. Giselle Richardson, the acclaimed macaron brand, has unveiled the irresistible flavours for this year’s Limited Edition Christmas Macaron Gift Boxes.
These festive treats, made with the finest British seasonal ingredients, offer a truly unique edible gift that’s perfect for the holiday season.
Presented in exclusive, limited-edition packaging designed by the talented illustrator Anna German, the macarons come in a vibrant Twelve Days of Christmas theme, adding an extra festive flair to your gift. From nostalgic Christmas classics to exciting seasonal gifts, each macaron is a testament to Giselle Richardson’s dedication to creating mouth-watering flavours that everyone will love.
“Our Christmas macarons are all about celebrating the season’s best flavours,” says Giselle Richardson, the pastry chef behind the brand. “I’ve worked hard to bring together the best of British produce and festive favourites in these macarons. From the rich indulgence of chocolate caramel sea salt to the refreshing zing of apple bergamot, every bite is a little taste of Christmas joy.”
Pre-order now to ensure your macarons arrive in time for Christmas. Orders will be dispatched on Saturday 21st December via Royal Mail Track 24, with delivery available UK-wide. Alternatively, you can collect your gift box directly from Giselle Richardson’s London kitchen or visit one of their markets across the capital.
The festive packaging features a two-sided design, with playful illustrations inspired by the Twelve Days of Christmas, such as 3 French Hens and 7 Swans-a-Swimming. Choose your preferred design, or even opt for last year’s whimsical 9 Ladies Dancing or 10 Lords-a-Leaping designs.
For those gifting directly, you can also personalise your order with a note to add that extra special touch.
See in the New Year with a three-course set menu, a night of circus fun, celebration and spectacular food
This New Year’s Eve, The Ivy Collection invites guests to step into the enchanting world of the circus for an unforgettable evening of exquisite dining, refreshing drinks, and dazzling entertainment. With a meticulously curated set menu featuring The Ivy’s signature dishes, diners can celebrate the arrival of 2025 in style with family, friends, and loved ones at their nearest Ivy restaurant.
Available to book now, the evening promises a festive atmosphere, with each restaurant offering bespoke entertainment, such as live music or a DJ, ensuring a lively and memorable celebration to round off the year.
From spectacular performances to indulgent cuisine, the menu showcases seasonal touches on The Ivy’s classic dishes. Starters include the festive Chilled Lobster and Prawn Cocktail, served with marinated avocado and Marie Rose sauce, and the Twice-baked Stilton and Walnut Cheese Soufflé, paired with a rich and creamy sauce.
For mains, guests can savour celebrated favourites like The Ivy’s Festive Shepherd’s Pie, a hearty combination of goose, turkey, duck, braised lamb, and beef, topped with mashed potato, cranberry chutney, and orange zest. Other options include the Lobster Linguine, featuring tender lobster in a roasted garlic and chilli sauce, and the Pan-Fried Sea Bass, served with creamed potato, samphire, tomato concasse, and saffron sauce.
For dessert, guests can choose from options like The Ivy Chocolate Bomb, a decadent melting dome with vanilla ice cream, honeycomb, and hot caramel sauce, or a creamy Crème Brûlée accompanied by winter berry cinnamon compote and shortbread.
As midnight approaches, diners can raise a glass to the New Year, celebrating with loved ones amidst circus-inspired cheer and the thrill of the countdown.
The festivities don’t end there; The Ivy Collection will also offer a flavour-packed New Year’s Day Brunch to help guests start 2025 on a high note. From a savoury Bloody Mary to hearty dishes like The Ivy Truffle Burger with thick-cut chips, Chicken Supreme Milanese with Truffle Sauce, or a comforting Lentil and Aubergine Bake, the brunch menu caters to all tastes and ensures a delicious recovery from the night before.
The New Year’s Eve set menu is available to book now at restaurants nationwide* starting from £87.50 per person, while the New Year’s Day Brunch is offered in select locations, starting at £34.95 per person.
*Terms & conditions apply. Prices vary by location.
Round & About Magazine’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett recommends this year’s Christmas wine essentials.
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and while they say Christmas is all about the children, this is one big kid who’s looking forward to opening some adult Christmas crackers this year. Christmas offers so many opportunities for enjoying a glass of something special and to give you some inspiration – or vinspriation (I got that one out of a cracker, can you tell?) – here are my top 10 Christmas wine (and spirit) essentials.
First up, champagne – well it is Christmas. I’ve tasted a lot of champagnes this year, some of the finest of which I reviewed in my recent champagne article. One that’s stuck with me is the Laytons Brut Reserve (£33.95). I worked for Laytons in the late 1990s and Laytons was a firm favourite with customers and staff alike and it was great to taste it again after so many years. Chardonnay-based it has a lovely lightness of touch, offering a fresh bouquet of citrus and white blossoms with a creamy, yeasty undertow. The delicacy continues in the mouth, but the long bottle ageing shows towards the finish as notes of toasted brioche, apricots and honey come through. A lovely way to start the day, it has enough oomph to partner hors d’oeuvres or smoked fish starters.
If you’re looking for beauty on a budget, then make a beeline for the Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 (Majestic £19 on a mixed six). This is going to make my top ten wines of the year and I’ll be serving it at home. At under £20, this is a great buy. Salmon pink with tiny red gold bubbles lifting notes of raspberries, strawberries and cream, and limes into the air, this beautiful wine entrances from the off. The medium-bodied palate offers red berries, cherries, and blackberries with rather more exotic notes of limes, coconut and Asian spices. Lovely on its own, it also pairs well with food such as smoked fish or brown turkey meat.
Next up the first of two delicious, but very different, French wines. The first is the Gérard Bertrand Orange Gold 2022 (Majestic £12.99). Orange wines get their name from their distinctive colour, in this case, a mid-apricot orange, colour they get from the juice resting on the skins as you do with red wines. This delightful example is Chardonnay-led but has support from Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Mauzac and Muscat which give it fragrance and complexity. Medium-bodied but with noticeable texture, here you’ll find everything from apples and melon to apricots, to dried pears and lemon rind. It’s a fascinating wine that goes perfectly with all kinds of white meats.
Hugel is one of the greatest names in wine. This Alsace domaine was founded in Riquewhir in 1639 by Hans Ulrich Hugel and has been family-owned ever since. They produce some of the most profound dry Rieslings in the world and this Christmas I’ll be pairing the turkey with a bottle (or two!) of the Hugel Classic Riesling 2022 (London End Wines £19.50). I’m a huge fan of dry Riesling, but the intensity and depth of flavour in Hugel’s wines take the breath away. The nose is zesty, full of mineral-tinted citrus, and green apples while on the palate there are lemons, limes, white peach and grapefruit with touches of apricot and pistachio. Give this a couple of hours open and serve with white meats, seafood, or creamy cheese.
Red wines are always popular at Christmas, and while many wine lovers reach for a bottle of red Bordeaux to partner the turkey, goose or their rich vegetarian centrepiece, there are better, more interesting choice to be made. The key to partnering red wines with foods such as this is intensity and juiciness. Turkey, goose, and other game birds can be dry, and all have a richness of flavour that takes something with a persistence of flavour to cut through. The following wines have all proved great partners in the past.
Burgundy is perfect with all forms of poultry and game birds, but red Burgundy prices have risen so high even in recent years that unless you’re planning to spend Christmas on your yacht you may want to look elsewhere. A joyful exception to this distasteful rule is the Louis Jadot Bourgogne Cote d’Or 2021 (Majestic £29.99, £22.49 when you buy any six). This is an affordable taste of Burgundian luxury. Deeply coloured, the bouquet offers cherries, blackberries, mushrooms and a hint of seasonal cranberries. In the mouth, it’s clean and fresh with a delightfully silky texture and offers and abundance of fruits of the forest, cherries, plums and a mint and mineral finish. Gorgeous.
And so, to Rioja but with an even greater weight of mellow fruitiness, we have the Baron de Ley Gran Reserva 2017 (Vinissimus £20). Gran Reserva Riojas are only made in great years and by law must spend at least two years in oak and three years in bottle before release. This long ageing mellows the fruit, adds a spicy vanilla tone and creates some of the finest wines Rioja can offer. The Baron de Ley Gran Reserve is a mighty mellow mouthful. The nose contains aromas of fresh toast, ripe black fruits, red berries, spices and tobacco. The generously full-bodied palate is juicy and complex. Baked black berries and sun-warmed black cherries are coated with creamy vanilla before the firm, fresh finish adds life and intensity.
If you’re feeling adventurous this Christmas, try the Chateau Musar ‘Hochar’ 2019 (Vimum £12.85). Chateau Musar is Lebanon’s greatest wine estate, and this is their second wine, the younger brother if you will, to Chateau Musar (Waitrose £41.99) and shares much of it characteristics. Produced from an unusual blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault grapes (think Bordeaux meets Rhone meets Languedoc) it’s rich and full-bodied with flavours of plums, cherries, sloes, and blackberries. Ageing in oak gives it a spicy tone and having been grown at high altitude it has a delightful red berry freshness.
And speaking of adventurous wines, how about a red dessert wine? While they are relatively rare, I’ve had plenty of sweet red wines over the years. Many are fortified such as the brilliantly bonkers Zuccardi Malamado Fortified Malbec (N.D. John Wines £17.45) but the Masi Angleorum Recioto Classico (Hic! £28) takes a rather different route to sweetness. Healthy grapes (Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) from Veneto hillsides are dried on bamboo racks over the winter months. This has the effect of concentrating the sugars while elevating the aromatics. These are pressed and the resulting wine is lusciously sweet and full-bodied but with sufficient natural acidity to keep the wine fresh and vibrant. Offering a beguiling combination of preserved cherries, prunes, and bitter chocolate, with a touch of mocha and raspberry liqueur, this is a stylish partner to gorgonzola cheese, sweet pastries and tarts or as an after-dinner sipper.
I’ll leave the wines on a high with a Port. I’m a subscriber to the adage that Port is for life, not just for Christmas, and after tasting a wine as good as the Warre 1985 (MWH Wines £87) I’m sure you’ll be one too. 1985 was a truly outstanding year for vintage Port and the best wines are now drinking superbly. The Warre 1985 has retained much of its youthful Victoria plum colour with just a hint of ruby visible at the rim. The bouquet is a showstopping mix of dried black fruits, Morello cherries, chocolate, dried herbs, almonds, and smoke. Massive and rich in the mouth, the sweetly toned black fruits are complimented by flavours of coffee, black treacle, crushed nuts, pomegranate, mint and cocoa. Wonderful on its own, open and decant this beauty and enjoy with cheeses or fruity puddings.
I’ll finish my Christmas essentials with a couple of winter-warming spirits. The first is the Adnams Sloe Gin (Adnams £29.95). I’ll be honest I find most sloe gins are just a waste of good gin, being either teeth-rottingly sweet or bone dry but with red berry tones simply acting as a distraction to the gin’s botanicals. This though is excellent. Cherry red, there’s a touch of perfume to the nose which helps lift the sweet cranberry fruit and dry herby notes of the base spirit. The palate is voluptuous and warming – the 26% alcohol makes its presence felt – but clean and tangy. Maybe it’s me, but this tastes like a great gin cocktail rather than a Sloe Gin. Whatever the case, neat or with a dash of tonic, it’s delicious.
Last but by no means least we have Adnams Rye Malt Whisky (Adnams £42.99). In my early trade days, I got quite into whisky but as I’ve got older, I drink it less and less. That said I do like an after-dinner snifter at Christmas, and this is the perfect choice. Produced in Suffolk using locally grown rye, it’s aged in new French oak for at least five years. This oak ageing is at the core of my love of this. It adds a creaminess and an apricot and honey sweetness, imparting a creamy mouthfeel, a ginger spiciness, and a raisin fudge tone. Add a drop of tepid water and you have a joyous sundowner.
Well, that’s it for me this year. I’ll be back next month to celebrate Australia Day with some cool climate Australian wine stunners.
