What we’re drinking this Christmas

Christmas doesn’t really get more magical for adults than in the events industry. From the glamour of the decorations and tablescapes to the generous distribution of canapés, nothing makes us cheerier than the sound of buzzing receptions and corks popping at this time of year.

So, parallel-universe-permitting, what would we be serving at a Christmas party right now?

With the canapés

Gusbourne English Sparkling Rosé 2015

Until five-ish years ago, we wouldn’t have dreamed of pouring an English sparkling at an event let alone for Christmas. But with quality improving exponentially year on year (and now firmly on a par with other more established wine growing countries), our homegrown wines are surprising world markets and for good reason. Gusbourne’s philosophy is very much in line with our own: they strive for excellence and you can taste it with each bottle.

The Rosé sparkling is a particularly fun way to kick off your festive drinking. Beautifully bright cherries and wild strawberries sing on the palate, balanced by a citrussy backbone and toasty notes too.  After the year we’ve all had, we want to support as many British businesses as possible (especially when they taste this good) and while rosé may take you back to summer, frankly we only see that as a good thing!

Available direct https://www.gusbourne.com/ or from many online and in-store independent retailers.

With the turkey

Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 2016

Burgundy is rarely the best value wine you can drink in the world. But it can be the most ethereal.

2020 deserves nothing less than to be ended swiftly on a high, so we’re going all out for the classic yuletide pairing of white Burgundy and turkey. This creamy, honey-suckle, lemony – brimming with energy and tension – Chassagne-Montrachet from Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard is a happy partner for perfectly cooked turkey and has a good line of acidity to cut through thick gravies (as well as salve our over-fed bodies from richness-overload.)

Available from https://www.decvin.com

With the pudding

Banyuls Rimage Les Clos de Paulilles 2014

A sticky and sweet bottle of pure indulgence. Whether you’re a Christmas pudding traditionalist, a chocolate log advocate or simply wrap up your evening with a cheese board, with its blackberry, cherry and jammy notes this is a lovely accompaniment for most festive desserts. We’d particularly recommend trying with some blue cheese for an exceptionally adult treat.

Available from http://lescaves.co.uk/lescaves-home