Winter Warmers
I adore the brisk, frosty-white nights of winter. They offer a perfect excuse to don a woolly jumper, dim the lights and open a bottle of warming wine. For whites, I prefer ones that are oak-aged, with their extra depth, richness, and spice making them perfect for the colder months.
My pick is Rustenberg Chardonnay (£14.99 at waitrosecellar.com) from Stellenbosch. Full-bodied and mouth-filling with delicious stonefruit, coconut and citrus flavours and just the right balance of oak to give a creamy and toasty depth without dominating the wine completely.
Perfect for roast chicken or pork, creamy mushroom dishes, and fireside sipping. Pop another log on, grab a glass and hunker down.
If oaked whites aren't for you then try D'Arenberg's excellent Money Spider Organic Roussanne (£14.95 at Great Western Wine), a scrumptious unoaked white that forgoes the bracing acidity of 'summer' wines in exchange for more intensity and mouth-filling depth.
A textural Roussanne with a rich mouthfeel and exotic aromas and flavours, with hints of mango and papaya, and a creamy mellow mouthfeel with just a touch of spice followed up with a dry refreshing lemony-citrus finish.
Food-wise this would be good with belly pork, ‘meatier’ fish like halibut, and dishes flavoured with Chinese spices, but frankly, I think it’s just fab on its own - just be careful not to serve it too cold, or you’ll lose some of the delicious texture and exotic flavours!
Some of the first reds I fell in love with were from France's Languedoc region, where the best wines deliver huge value and pleasure for the money. Domaine de Nizas, 'Le Clos' (£14.99 at Avery’s of Bristol) is from vineyards just outside the medieval town of Pézenas, about thirty kilometres away from the Mediterranean Sea.
It’s a seductive, complex and ideal for winter sipping, with a warming dark fruit spiced character that will weave its mellow magic on you. If you can wait, open the bottle to 'breathe' for an hour or so before drinking and you'll find aromas and flavours of Mediterranean herbs, smoky black pepper, cherries and black fruits.
Satisfyingly full-bodied, round and smooth - it’ll be great with roast lamb, beef stew or just a big hunk of aged local cheddar.
If you're looking for a full-bodied red that’s popping with fruit and has even more flesh on the bone, you should try Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel (£15.99 - or £13.99 in a mixed 6 case at Majestic Wine).
Bold as brass, this super-charged ‘zin’ explodes with concentrated flavours of blueberries, black plums, vanilla and cocoa, but without the sweetness associated with some other Zinfandel wines. Again, it'll pay to be patient if you can get this open or in a jug/decanter for an hour before you tuck in.
Hearty full-bodied wines call for robust dishes, so consider steak with peppercorn sauce, roast lamb/beef, or hearty tomato-based dishes with a touch of spice like chilli con carne.
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