Tag: Christmas

I’ll start in the country which is widely regarded as the spiritual home of fortified wines… Argentina. Hmm, not sure that’s right, but I am sure that the Zuccardi Malamado Fortified Malbec NV (Taurus Wines £16.99) is a brilliant wine that will be on show at my house again this year. Inky purple, the nose is pure Malbec and offers plums, chocolate, a touch of peppermint and a lovely floral note. At first taste, you wouldn’t know the Malamado was fortified. There’s the rush of the blueberries, cherries, chocolate, and cassis you’d expect from a fine Malbec and it’s only as you get toward the warming finish that the delicate sweetness and power come through. I’ve had this on its own, with cheese, chocolate puddings, and roasted red meats and it’s worked splendidly with all of them.

Next, an example of the most underrated fine wine on Earth, a Madeira. Madeira has long had an image problem being seen as an old lady’s drink. Well, if that’s the case, call me Gertrude and take me to the day centre. This extraordinary wine ranges in style from bone to dry to sweet and offers complexity, versatility, and a wonderful moreishness as Blandy’s 5-Year-Old Reserva Madeira (Waitrose £15.99) shows. Packed with dried fruits bordered by citrus, caramel, and warm spices, with honeyed grapefruit to the smoky finish, it’s warming yet fresh, sweet but tangy, and goes wonderfully well either chilled as an aperitif or at room temperature with fruit, cheese or nuts.

Sherry is another massively underappreciated wine, especially when you get into the realms of fine wines like the Barbadillo Pastora Manzanilla Pasada (Flagship Wines £11.99). Crushed nuts, yellow fruits and savoury yeast on the nose are followed by a nutty, clean, dry palate offering hazelnut paste, camomile tea and creamy yeast flavours with red apples, pears, and apricots. Vibrant with a satisfying blend of fruitiness and savouriness, serve this chilled with pâte or salty hors d’oeuvres.

If you like your wines dark, rich, and heady, then try the Apostoles 30-Year-Old Palo Cortado from Gonzalez Byass (Majestic £29.99). This magnificent wine starts life as a pale, dry sherry, a Palo Cortado (think of a Fino sherry such as Tio Pepe but with a tan), but after three decades of ageing, it’s transformed into this unique, unctuous, and immensely complex delight. Christmas cake richness populates the nose with extra interest added by salted caramel and grapefruit. On the palate, it’s wonderfully soft and full, with dried brown fruits, spices, treacle and vintage marmalade all held to account by a dry finish and cleansing acidity. Savour this on its own or with fine white and blue cheeses.

First up, a wine that’s liquid Christmas, the Adnams Finest Reserve Port (£15.99).  This gloriously indulgent Port has a nose packed with dried black fruits, festive spices, and a herby/medicinal edge.  Deep purple with a mouthcoating, luscious body, you’ll find everything from prunes to cloves, blackcurrant jam to fresh mint on show.  As well as being delicious, this is also cracking value and makes for a fine aperitif or the perfect partner to puddings or the cheeseboard. 

The Kopke Colheita 2001 (Secret Bottle Shop £46.95) offers a different take on Port.  This wood Port was aged in barrel for many, many years, giving it a beautiful ruby robe and a bouquet combining cherries, almonds, raisins and coffee.  In the mouth, it’s noticeably drier than the Adnams, with a fresher feel that delivers strawberry, citrus, sweet and sour cherries and nuts before the warming spirit comes in at the end bringing notes of coffee and almonds.  Serve this stunner lightly chilled with roasted nuts, cheese or cold brown turkey. 

As it’s Christmas I’ll finish with a couple of rare treats, in the shape of vintage Ports.  Vintage Port – ones made from a single year’s harvest and aged in bottle rather than barrel – make up just 2% of Port production.  The finest examples balance power with generosity, intensity with delicacy, and immediacy with an almost endless lifespan.  This year, I’ll be decanting a couple of bottles of the Dow 1985 Vintage Port (MWH Wines £72).  1985 was an outstanding year for Port and the Dow 1985 is now drinking beautifully.  Inky purple with a hint of tawny to the rim, the bouquet is a decadent mix of figs, prunes, chocolate, spices and herbs, with notes of mint and charcoal.  Marvellously full-bodied and silkily textured, it offers black figs, damsons, blood oranges and cherries in a harmonious fashion.  The finish brings minerals, drying tannins and the promise of even more to come.  Pair this with berry-based puddings or full-flavoured cheeses.