Tis the season to (carry a brolly?) fla la la la la…

Yes it is always actually the season to carry a brolly in this country, but it rhymes with jolly, so I thought why not…why not aye!

So, as we draw ever closer to the period in which our sweat pants come out to allow the over indulgent bellies to fill, the copious amounts of booze engulf our fridges, cabinets, back of sofas and just about anywhere really, it is time to start thinking about what we will all be cooking on the big day, as well as Christmas Day itself of course.  You see, Boxing Day has always been my favourite day culinary speaking.  I love the fact that for most of us, it’s just a large plate filled with festive leftovers, meats, cheeses and whatever you fancy; no rules, no frills and no manners – I think it is a chance to have a less informal get together with great food and wine and to talk about the day before.  I love Christmas day and all that it brings, but I do love the day after even more so.

So for the first part of this post, I want to talk about what I will want to be enjoying this year with my Crimbo nosh and why I think you should try it too.  Traditionally, the day rolled something like this…

Champagne in the morning with maybe a light snack or some Celebrations if some cheeky Herbert has already opened them, followed by perhaps a light ale or two and then the big lunch would be served, which inevitably would be served with a big red (a claret maybe) and also a choice of White or Rose.  The Port would make an appearance with the cheese board on full show as well as the lump of stodge – aka Christmas Pudding!  Then, a free for all as to an array of wine, beer and spirits to keep us all from going bored.  Finally, the 2 hour kip on the sofa.  Day 1 done!

Now this is just going on experience and a very light-hearted assumption.  If I had my way for the nation, this is what it would roll like…

9am – My old mans Thai chili duck eggs on toast with a glass or two of Prosecco

11am – Selection of nuts and dried fruits with a small glass of Tokaj

xxx o’clock – Lunch is served and on show to cater for all tastes and expectations, wine that will go with all cuts of meat and accompaniments, and below are my choices

Top to bottom then, the Botter Prosecco is a fabulous bottle of fizz, in my opinion far better on Christmas morning than a Champagne or a Cava; this is soft with fruity depth and a lovely mouthfeel – £8.99-£10.99 from selected wine merchants.  With the mid morning nuts and nibblets the Oremus Tokaj Late Harvest 2006 is to die for with its delectable fruity sweetness (tropical fruit with hints of honey and dried apricots (The Tokaj lies 240 kms north-east of Budapest, Hungary, situated in the Zemplen Mountains at the confluence of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers).  Next in my ‘St. Nic Selection’ is the wine that I think goes best with Christmas lunch.  Light in style but still filled to the brim with layers of dark berry aromas and flavours, the La Copa Tempranillo 2009 (Tempranillo is one of the 3 grape varieties that make up wines from Rioja (and on its own can make serious wine, enjoyed in its youth and either on its own or with food – which makes this for me the perfect choice as a half way house between a big white and a big red – bootiful especially as it costs just £6!!  Then for the big gun – I give you 2007’s Pillastro Primitivo (Primitivo is the Zinfandel of Italy).  This is a big n’ bold red fit for a King!  Intense black fruit dominate with hints of spice and dark chocolate (some leathery notes as well actually) this is super smooth and super refined for such a great price of £9.99 from Lathwaites.  A magic wine that I will be enjoying this year.  Finally, for those that are still wanting more and whose top buttons are still in tact, I can suggest a stonking Barolo to go with the cheese; Villa Peironte 2006.  Barolo is one of the most famous and renowned red wines in the world – feared and revered if you will across the globe from wine makers wanting to achieve a similar status and complexity.  Barolo comes from the top left of The Boot in of Italy, and is best recognised because of its lighter colour and its brick-like colour on the rim.  This particular example offers savoury notes at first, then come aromas of jammy plums and crushed red fruit.  Now this has firm tannins which lends itself to cheese as well as other rich foods.  I found this works with a big filthy, dirty, stinking blue!  £22 at M&S (£10 sometimes on the build up to Christmas so keep your eyes peeled – get in there!)

After all that eating and drinking, the last thing you want is more bloody food, and more drink!  But, there will come that time half way between Superman 3 or Gremlins when you think ‘Hmm, I could do with a glass of something, but I don’t want fizz, I don’t want anything big and I am not ready yet for a sweet and sticky – I know, I wonder if there is any Chateau de Campuget in this gaf? A ha, there is!!  This is a crowd pleaser; it’s from The Rhone in South East France, and is a blend of Syrah (Shiraz) and Grenache and is a very drinkable with either a couple of cheeky monkey nuts, or on its own before you take part in your 2nd doze of the day.  All in all, a happy days worth of enjoying one of life’s finest pleasures – WINE.

Now onto something that got my goat this week – I consider this a great country, one that thrives on knowledge and a comprehension of things outside the normal thinking of everyday folk.  We are a collection of people who know certain things, and of course there are simply things that we do not know – I didn’t know that it is physically impossible for a pig to look up into the sky!!  Fascinating, but not something I would expect a lot of people to know.  YET, 16% of Brits didn’t know where Champagne came from!!  Call me an over-reactor, but I think this is pretty poor form, surely everyone knows this right?  Ah well, I was surprised at this and even more surprised that the admission of the thousands of Brits questioned would let the ‘pretty bottle’ design on a wine bottle sway them into purchasing it!  Things will change I am sure, but we’ll keep going for the time-being, and spreading the word.

That’s a rap for this week, more to come this week including a great idea for gifts going into 2011, actually that is an understatement, this particular gift is brilliant.  It involves owning your own vines!  I’ll leave you with a car journey we have all done regularly…can we say the same about the conversation….classic!

Wine is fun fun is wine, drink it young and when you dine