Curious Case - December 2021 - Seasonal Surprises
For December’s Curious Case we’ve put together a suitably seasonal selection but, as usual, with a bit of a twist.
Christmas is a time of year when wine choices often return to the classic regions and familiar favourites and our picks for this month have been made with this very much in mind, but just pushing the envelope a little bit.
So what we will say is that our December Curious Case is made up of wines ideal for all the usual seasonal events, but maybe not what you would have automatically gone for...
For the reds, the first is a northern Spanish favourite of ours which has been given lengthy barrel and bottle ageing. It’s wonderfully smooth and mature and perfect and ideal with red meats, game and poultry. Next up is a generous, ripe and earthy Tuscan red from a producer who is unashamedly traditional in approach, but makes wines of real quality. We might have gone out on a limb with this one because his style is not always to everyone’s taste, but we think it’s terrific and really rewarding. Our final red is a lovely, premium quality, South African Bordeaux blend – so it’s perfect for Christmas lunch. Because of the country’s long history of winemaking, they’ve probably nailed the New World take on Claret better than anywhere else and this wine certainly shows that off.
With the whites, for our first pick, we’ve stayed in France and headed down south to the Languedoc for a delicious organic wine which is a peachy and bright blend of 3 grapes and made by an estate who produce some of the Languedoc’s most prestigious wines. While it’s one of their less expensive wines it really looks the part and can confidently be served with most things. Our second is a superior South African Chardonnay that really fits the slot a silky and buttery Burgundy might otherwise fill. Being a New World wine it definitely gives a lot of bang for its buck allowing us to include it in the Curious Case.
To finish off we, naturally, need to include a sparkler and so have gone for a New World wine that’s we’ve listed for a long time and have always loved and has always earned its place on our shelves. Made in the traditional style, it’s a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and has all the toasty, brioche qualities you’d expect in a quality sparkling wine.
So there we have it, our December Curious Case, the ideal seasonal selection.
Case Contents
• Castillo de Eneriz Reserva, Navarra
• Buitenverwachting Christine
• Cantine Vittorio Innocenti Chianti Colli Senesi
• Reserve de Gassac Blanc
• Vergelegen Reserve Chardonnay
• Graham Beck Brut NV
