As the year draws to close, The Wine Tipster has reflected on some of his favourite wines and in particular those he feels would be ideal over the festive season. Here is his selection;

Champagne and Sparkling
Prosecco Masottina DOC Brut Treviso – BBR, £13.95
Masottina make a seriously fine range of Prosecco and their Brut is a crowd-pleasing Prosecco with fine bubbles and intense, fruity aromas of apple, lemon and grapefruit with a lovely hint of spice and ginger.

Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut – Waitrose, on offer at £25.49

Completely underrated Champagne house who make excellent fruity and complex bubbles that offer great value. Their fresh Authentic Brut has lovely balance  of citrus fruit, white flowers and red fruits. Look out for their Charles V11 range too, which are very refined.

Gauchezco Vineyard Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé Extra Brut– Ocado, £14.99
Gauchezco represents the traditional Gaucho culture from Argentina. This is a producer which is a name to watch and their 100% Pinot Noir sparkler is full flavoured, well balanced, stylish with attractive cherry fruit flavours and zingy acidity.

Whites
Zalze Chenin Blanc 2015 Vineyard Reserve – Co-op, £8.99
The Co-op have really stepped up their wine selection in the last few years and this South African Chenin Blanc from Zalze is an excellent recent recruit. This is the perfect dry easy drinking white to be enjoyed over the festive season with tropical, ripe pineapple and peach aromas, balanced fruit and crisp acidity.

Yalumba Viognier 2015 – Waitrose, £12.99
Australian producer Yalumba pioneered a renaissance of this rare, exotic and alluring variety. Devotion and hard work have seen Yalumba become internationally recognised as one of the world’s most accomplished Viognier winemakers. This is a Grade One performer made by a Grade One producer who bring this grape variety to life and capture the attractive peach and apricot flavours. Top wine.

Reds
If you’re looking for a perfect pairing for your Christmas turkey, then Jackson Estate ‘Vintage Widow’ Pinot Noir 2013 from Marlborough, New Zealand would be ideal. Currently on offer at £16.99 at Majestic when bought as a case of 6 bottles or save 25% at Ocado(RRP £19.49 – available from Majestic Wine & Ocado). ‘Vintage Widow’ is named in recognition of the partners and families of those who are overlooked during vintage. This 2013 is a wonderful and delicious combination of cherries, plums. spice and herbaceous character and ‘Vintage Widow’ 2013 will benefit from decanting a couple of hours before serving.

Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Villages 2015 – Waitrose, down to £6.74 from £8.00
This popular and versatile Rhône is a must for the Christmas basket. Great with lamb or ideal if you like a glass of red with character. For the fuller style to match with beef then try their Les Dauphins Vinsobres 2013 Côtes du Rhône which is great value at £11.99 from Waitrose.

Sweet
Elysium, Black Muscat 2014, Andrew Quady, Majestic – £9.99 per half bottle
Elysium is Greek for Heaven, a fitting association for this excellent wine made by Andrew Quady. Virtually black in colour, with a rose-like aroma, very intense on the palate and full of fantastic rich velvety fruit, yet has great balance and is not too cloying.One of the few wines that can stand up to chocolate puddings. Or try it poured over ice cream for the ultimate after-dinner treat!

Fortified
Sandeman 20 year old Tawny Port, Waitrose, £29.99 down from £37.40
Sandeman are globally recognised for the quality of their tawny ports and the 20-year-old should be part of the cast of any Christmas lunch. A wonderful rich and elegant combination of flavours of dried apricots, honey, nuts, spices, vanilla creates an endlessly complex wine that has a brilliant length of finish which goes on and on. Great with nuts, mince pies and hard cheeses like Grana Padano. The Wine Tipster features Sandeman Tawny Port on a regular basis because they are so versatile and not just a port for Christmas!

Here are a couple of good reads for the Festive period.

For those of planning your trip to Venice then The Wine Tipster can highly recommend this excellent guide; Venice an entire world by Mario Anton Orefice published by Marcianum Press at £9.35

Corkscrew by Peter Stafford-Bow, published by I_AM Self Publishing, 2016,£9.99 from all good bookshops.

Settle down, grab a glass of fizz and have a good laugh at an improbable tale of a professional wine buyer. Mark my words, you will enjoy!

Cheers to a Happy Christmas and New Year.

Whether you are planning a party over the festive season or are just looking for something sparkling to enjoy over the next few months, here are a few sparklers that I have enjoyed recently and will no doubt be popular with your guests.

Prosecco Villa Sandi IL Fresco DOC, Treviso, Italy

The Villa Sandi head office is a Palladian style masterpiece dating back to 1622. It is surrounded by fertile countryside in which fields and farms, nowadays as well as in the past, pay homage to the local history. A vibrant setting where nature and architecture live in total harmony. The Moretti Polegato family have been devoted to wine for many generations and have fostered this ancient tradition by promoting grape growing in the area on a modern basis. Giancarlo Moretti Polegato carries on the family tradition today. The winery has won many awards over the years. Grapes are grown in the area between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. Villa Sandi bottles its Prosecco to order – one aspect of the winemaking process that makes it different from many other producers. The must is held in tanks at zero degrees, and the secondary fermentation (in Prosecco this also happens in tank – the charmat method in French winemaking terminology), and bottling are done in batches. The use of added sulphur is low – around half the legal limit – and alcohol is always around 11.5% abv. Lovely easy drinking refreshing fizz with a light zesty nose. A little apple and pear with a creamy texture with a dry finish.

Stockists: Dolce Vita Wines, Annessa Imports, North South Wines, House of Townend (North and Midlands), The Wine Importers (Scotland). Pricing around £10.99.

Some Restaurants in London with Villa Sandi Prosecco in the wine List are:
Theo Randall at the Intercontinental
Lucio Restaurant
The Cavendish
Locanda Locatelli
Stafford Hotel

Campo Viejo Cava, Catalonia, Spain

Campo Viejo has a long history dating back to the Roman Empire however it has only been in the last century that the name has become synonymous with Rioja wines. From the first vintage in 1959 to the creation of their signature ‘Rioja Bottle’ in 1961 and the unveiling of their new state-of-the-art sustainable winery in 2001, they have been at the forefront of Rioja winemaking. From the vine to the bottle, they adhere to sustainable winemaking practices. The winery is also seamlessly integrated with the environment to minimise their impact whilst allowing them to create vibrant, colourful wines that are a true expression of Rioja’s Tempranillo.

The Cava Brut Reserva NV is made from musts produced from carefully selected grapes (a blend of Xarello, Parellada and Macabeo) and vinified at a controlled temperature. It then undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, following the traditional method. The resulting cava is aged as a Brut Reserva for 18 months. A complex nose with fresh floral aromas.  Tropical apricots and limes on the palate with a peachy edge. Citrusy finish with good length.

Stockist: Tesco Wine by the case £54.00 (£9.00 per bottle)

Champagne Canard-Duchêne

In 1859, a cooper named Victor Canard, and Léonie Duchêne, a winegrower’s daughter, met in Ludes. After a whirlwind romance, they were married and in 1868 decided to join their family names and establish the Canard-Duchêne Champagne. Away from the large Houses based in Epernay or Reims, Canard-Duchêne  is unusually situated in Ludes, on a hillside, at the very heart of the Montagne de Reims Regional Natural Park where a rich diversity of vines and forests, rare trees and wild fauna make this an exceptional setting. A firm favourite of Nicolas II Tsar of Russia, Canard-Duchêne was granted the right to adopt the symbol of the Russian Empire, a double-headed eagle. A sword was added to honour an ancient tradition of the Napoleon cavalry, to present a sword to the hussars in victory. The Hussars used the sword to remove Champagne corks, a tradition still known today as “sabrage”. It is now part of the Thiénot group, owner of its own label Champagne Thiénot, plus Joseph Perrier and Marie Stuart.

For many years, the House has adopted a strict policy of sustainable development and respect for the environment and its Champagnes are crafted entirely from organic grapes.

Canard-Duchéne Cuvée Léonie Green NV, Champagne, France £40.99

Cuvée Léonie Green NV is just such an example of quality winemaking, innovation and a Champagne that should have a much wider audience. Made from organically grown grapes, this blend of 50% Chardonnay, with an equal split of Meunier and Pinot Noir has a wonderful freshness, combined with citrus fruits, roundness and crispness, Delicious!

Stockists: Southsea Wine Company, Vintage Wines

Cheers!