Christmas is almost upon us and the end of deadline season is tantalisingly close. So what do you bring to a festive party?
If you’re looking for a bottle to take to your friends wine and cheese night (and fancy splashing a few extra quid), you can’t go wrong with Sainsbury’s Boronia Tempranillo which is possible one of my highest rated wines of the year (normally £13, its currently £10 on nectar). Strong, hearty grapes like Tempranillo and Crianza go well with hard cheeses like Manchego.
If it’s more of a mince pie affair then I’m tempted to push the boat out with Tesco’s Mendoza Malbec offering (£8.50, £7 Clubcard). Rich and spicy, with a hint of artificial oak that would normally put me off, it brings enough of a punch to go with festive foods and the mouthy flavour would be tranquilised by the Christmas spices of clove and ginger. If you’re looking to stay sober, I’ve rediscovered my childhood love of Ginger Beer (yes I know this is a wine column, but it’s good to be inclusive). Tesco’s have bottles of ginger ale at 85p, which my friends lectured me is not the same technically but it does the trick. A great base for Christmas mocktails (I added cranberry and apple juice in attempt to make something festive) or just warming drink with plenty of fizz but no buzz, it’s seasonal, fun and cheap.
Illustration by Rosie Warwood, @rosiewarwoodart on Instagram.