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As 2021 draws to a close, The Wine Tipster looks back on another busy year. From racing wins to wine tastings, there has been a lot to celebrate amidst the continuing pandemic.
In particular, 2021 has been an exciting year for Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato, as The Wine Tipster has been able to present to audiences at virtual and live events in his role as Prosecco DOC UK Ambassador. All of the Prosecco DOC producers of white and rosé wines have received great feedback from trade and consumers. If you haven’t already tried Prosecco Rosé then 2022 is the year!
Looking forward to 2022, The Wine Tipster has the perfect recommendations for seeing the new year in which have been firm favourites of his throughout 2021.
Winbirri Vineyards Bacchus 2020, Norfolk, England, £16.99, Waitrose
English and Welsh still wines remain overlooked. The Wine Tipster hopes that quality wines from grape varieties like Bacchus, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay reach a wider audience in 2022. There are some great UK producers like Bolney Estate, Chapel Down, Woodchester Valley, Simpsons and of course Winbirri producing top class wines. The Wine Tipster first presented Winbirri Bacchus a few years ago and Winbirri first hit the headlines when winning the Platinum Best in Show medal for best value white wine made from a single grape variety at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The Winbirri Bacchus 2020 has been a firm Wine Tipster favourite in 2021 and wines made from Bacchus are reaching new levels as a dry style that should be shouted about more.
Domaine Tempier Rouge Classique 2018 Bandol, France, £29.50
Bandol wines are so underrated and The Wine Tipster’s Dad was a massive fan of Domaine Tempier. The excellent Savage Selection list the fabulous Domaine Tempier wines and their 2018 Rouge Classique. This includes one of The Wine Tipster’s favourite grape varieties, Mourvedre, and is very accessible now as well as after ageing for years.
Domaine Tempier Rosé 2020, Bandol, France, £23.50
This is a stunning dry rosé which has been so enjoyable in 2021 and will age for years.
Andreas Syrah 2018, Boviei Valley, Wellington , Western Cape, South Africa, £21.95 Slurp, Cellar Door Wines
Andreas have 4.5 hectares of vineyards and The Wine Tipster first tasted their wines back in 2014. Their 2015 vintage was excellent and the 2018 is truly memorable, with beautiful intense dark ripe fruit flavours, attractive spicy, herbal and smoky notes, backed by well balanced oak, making an integrated wine that is not over-powering. A wine for South African and Northern Rhône fans too.
Mediterranean Léoube Gin, £50 Daylesford Organics
Gin has remained incredibly popular in 2021 with the recently released Mediterranean Léoube Gin showcasing why the UK loves Gin so much. Known for their stunning Provence rosés, Léoube have introduced this spirited new addition, which is distilled with olives and wild Mediterranean botanicals. Try a little neat and as a gin and tonic, where you can pick these fabulous botanicals. Léoube recommend a range of lovely seasonal Mediterranean Léoube Gin cocktails too including Autumnal Gin Cocktail.
The Wine Tipster’s recent pieces for The Jockey Club are full of Festive Wines and Christmas Cocktails which are great for seeing the new year too.
However you choose to celebrate, The Wine Tipster wishes you a very Happy New Year and a great 2022. Cheers!
It’s the most wine-derful time of the year and The Wine Tipster is armed with bottle recommendations to make your seasonal celebrations go off with a bang, or maybe a pop. With options for a tipple on Christmas Eve, right through to drinks to accompany the Boxing Day leftovers, there is something for everyone here and all are under £?. He’s made his list, he’s checked it twice, it’s time to find out which wines are nice!
Christmas Eve
A magical evening of log fires and mince pies calls for a warming glass of something, and The Wine Tipster is excited to try the Mediterranean Léoube Gin (Daylesford Organics £50). Known for their stunning Provence rosés, this new addition to the Léoube family is a wonderful treat at Christmas, distilled with olives and wild Mediterranean botanicals. A Winter Cocktail is perfect for sipping by a roaring fire and captures the magic of advent. To make your own:
- Place ice in a serving glass to chill it
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice
- Shake together 40ml Mediterranean Gin by Léoube, 100ml organic almond milk, 5ml orange flower water, 5ml maple or cinnamon syrup
- Discard the ice from the serving glass and double strain the cocktail into it
- Try it hot – heat it gently on the hob after straining it
Christmas Morning
The excitement of Christmas Morning means all rules are out of the window. The perfect serve for Christmas morning is the Bottega Pink Gold Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato Brut 2019/2020 (Ocado £25.99 down to £21.99). This award-winning Prosecco DOC Rosé is elegant, truly memorable with soft fruit flavours of cherries and raspberries. It’s sure to get the day off to a cracking start.
Christmas Lunch or Dinner
Whether you have your Christmas meal at lunch or dinner, a bottle of Doña Paula Estate Malbec 2020, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (VINVM £12.65) is the perfect accompaniment. Argentinian Malbec has rightly become very popular, and yet you need to study the form in terms of discovering the high quality, complex and beautifully balanced wines like this Estate Malbec from Doña Paula from the Uco Valley, where some of Argentina’s great red wines are produced. This wine has ripe black and red fruit flavours, is full bodied, yet not overpowering and matches with beef, your turkey roast and vegetarian Christmas roast.
For a festive white, the Louis Latour White Burgundy 2020, Burgundy, France (Waitrose £14.99 on offer £11.99) is wonderful. This Chardonnay has been a popular choice throughout 2021 and is a classic with soft, ripe citrus fruit flavours, and creamy texture. Lovely to enjoy as an aperitif and paired with seafood and fish dishes.
Christmas Cheeseboard
A Christmas cheeseboard after the Christmas meal is a must for The Wine Tipster and pairs beautifully with a port. Port is very popular during the Festive period and is a great match with a range of cheeses including stilton. The Quinta Do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Port 2015, Douro, Portugal (The Great Wine Co. £19.95) is a great option for any cheeseboard as the LBV style is the most popular port style. Quinta Do Crasto’s 2015 has beautiful dark fruit flavours, is full flavoured, with finesse and balance. This port is vegan friendly and bottled without fining and filtration so a light sediment may form in the bottle over time. Pour gently into a glass jug or decanter leaving the sediment in the bottle.
Boxing Day
After a brisk walk, a bottle of Morgon Château de Pizay 2020 Beaujolais, France (Majestic £12.99 and £10.99 in a mixed case of six bottles) pairs well with a table full of leftovers. Gamay is such an underrated grape variety and this Morgon has lovely silky-smooth cherry and blackberry fruit character with friendly tannins. Perfect to enjoy on Boxing Day with turkey, stilton leek and celery tart, or on its own.
For a white option, The Wine Tipster is a massive fan of the Gérard Bertrand wines and his Gris Blanc Gérard Bertrand 2020, Pays d’Oc, Roussillon, France (Strictly Wine £13.25 on offer £10.47) is outstanding. This is versatile, dry, and refreshing, with subtle red fruits which makes it great on its own, with fish and lightly spicy dishes.
However you are celebrating Christmas this year, The Wine Tipster wishes you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Cheers!
The Wine Tipster is honoured to be a Brand Ambassador for this exciting new spirit, and is looking forward to sharing his thoughts on this wonderful gin which embodies both of his two passions!
Founded by a team of hospitality professionals, The Burford Distilling Company (BDC) was established in Autumn 2020 and has got off to a fine start with the release of Racing Gin. Inspired by the team’s love of horse racing and connections to the Cotswolds, this gin is targeted at racegoers and features a beautiful label of racing silks.
There are a great number of ways to enjoy the gin, BDC recommend serving with ginger beer for a deliciously warming beverage, or with a citrus tonic for a wonderfully summery number.
Here’s what The Wine Tipster has to say about Racing Gin:
“Racing fans take note – if you enjoy quality gin, you’ll love Racing Gin from The Burford Distilling Company. This brilliant new gin has citrus notes of lime and lemon zest, combined with herbaceous rosemary and thyme, following through with savoury, floral and spicy tones. It’s balanced, delicate and elegant, with great staying power on the finish. Classic Racing Gin & Tonic is a safe bet, while some will fancy a flutter on creative cocktails. Perfect for enjoying whilst watching racing at home”
Stockists
- Available from The Burford Distilling Company website for £37.00
- The Oxford Wine Company
- Café de la Post in Chadlington, Oxfordshire is a great way to support local
- Beverage Boys
- Master of Malt
- Sip and Share currently have a 10% sale which applies to Racing Gin
- Vinotopia Wine Merchants
A smashing first release from BDC, we look forward to many more top quality bottles! Watch this space.
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