Christmas special? But it's always time for fizz....

As you know, I don't care what time of year (and day) it is, a good glass of fizz will see me through. However, many people spend most of the year frittering their champagne money away on ridiculous things like the gas bill and kids shoes so it's only really Christmas and birthdays that are enhanced with the pop of a cork.

To aid them in their purchasing, many a publication will assist them in what to buy. This isn't one of them. My selection here is pretty much based on my travels with my flute glass this year, I would be richer if I spent less time buying fizz and travelling to its home but that wouldn't be any fun at all would it?

Christmas drinks with fizz fans
Everybody does it and nobody should be ashamed of it. We only give our expensive good stuff to people who will appreciate it. Who hasn't wanted to punch someone in the face for upending a glass of something you've kept in the cellar for an age waiting for the right time. Don't do it to  yourself and invite only those who will not incite rage when you open the something special. For me it would be Charles Heidsick Mis En Cave 2001.
http://www.charlesheidsieck.com/en/index.html

I love this wine, it's a big, complex, savoury treat of a champagne and as I also love meat on a stick (insert own joke here) it's got enough going on to cope with marinated chicken, pork and in my head but as yet un -tested Nigella's juicy beef skewers. The recipe is in this book and I feel it may have to happen sooner rather than later. Trial run obviously....http://www.nigella.com/books


Christmas Eve
Bollinger NV. Vintage, Rose and Grand Annee are all fantastic but I love the fall back perfection of a glass of Bollinger NV. It's never exactly the same but it's always great. Normally my Christmas Eve is like a Christmas movie, roaring fire, waiting until the kids are asleep to bring out Father Christmas' gifts, Kings College carols and mince pies. Bollinger just works with that. This year its going to be warm, not dark for ahttp://www.champagne-bollinger.com/uk/#/cave/ges and the kids aren't going to be here. Bollinger still works. Genius.

Christmas Day
I stand by the fact that sparkling wine is a breakfast drink and on Christmas morning whilst whipping up scrambled eggs on fresh bread and a slice of Christmas ham I want something crisp, clean and very yummy so Gusbourne blanc de blancs it is. English fizz is very, very good and whether you'll be watching the snow fall or eating breakfast outside it'll do the trick. http://www.ukvines.co.uk/vineyards/gusbourne.htm

Lunch is as yet undecided in our household but Pol Roger 1999 Blanc de blancs or blended is the champagne of choice. Lucky old me has had this a few times over the year and I think it's my stand out fizz for the year. It's headed into a wee snooze for a short time before it arises again all glorious and amazing but it's complexity, depth and development has been bang on the money all year. Superb.http://www.polroger.com/english/

Boxing Day
Usually means people turning up so get a magnum fired up. Roederer Estate or Louis Roederer Brut NV doesn't matter but it drinks a treat on its own or with the assorted nibbles of Boxing Day. Leftovers, Pringles, mini vol-au-vents, Christmas ham....


New Years Eve
Too much pressure generally with NYE. People often think this needs to be the all defining party of the year and also it will define how next year will go. This is bobbins. I'm planning on hanging out with people I like and drinking Pirie NV until midnight when a glass of Krug wouldn't go amiss. Great people, great fizz. It's a simple combination that is too often ignored. http://www.pirietasmania.com.au/pirie-sparkling

January
Detox? Erm, no. Although as Christmas does tend to be eye wateringly expensive Szigeti Welschriesling would be my fizz of choice. Disgustingly good value for money and a cracking glass of fizz to boot, what's not to like?



Enjoy the festive season, I hope you've all been good this year and you get everything on your Christmas list. I'm still not sure I've been good enough for the Krug trunk http://tinyurl.com/25eau59 but you never know...

Holiday homes of the champenois

Being a very lucky girl, the sparkling tour this year has taken me to Taittinger in the Champagne region and Taittinger in the Napa Valley. In the guise of Domaine Carneros it is still pretty easy to spot which is Domaine Carneros if you've ever been to Taittinger's Chateau de la Marquetterie

Top: Domaine Carneros, Bottom: Ch de la Marquetterie

Domaine Carneros is home to one of the First Ladies of sparkling wine Eileen Crane. She has created a range that holds its own identity whilst retaining the classic elegance and finesse of Taittinger. Head hunted by Claude Taittinger himself, Eileen's appointment was a shrewd move in developing world class sparkling wines.

One thing the Americans have down pat is a great winery tour. I was fortunate enough to have the sole attention of Bruce Stirling who took me through a physical tour and also a tasting tour. I tried the Brut 2006, Le Reve 2004, Rose 2006, Demi-Sec 2006, Late Disgorged 2004 and the Blanc de
Noirs 2006. Across the board the wines were an impressive balance of ripe Californian fruits with crisp and refreshing acidity alongside some complex developing flavours.

Being a very English girl I was particularly enamoured with the older sparklers, Le Reve 2004 and the Late Disgorged Brut 2004. The hints of complexity and age that had come through on the 2006 had opened up a little more , showing richer bready and yeasty notes alongside the still ripe fruit flavours.

Although both wines had the capacity to age longer, the extra couple of years had made a real difference and I thought at the time how interesting it would be to see just how old it is possible to go with New World sparklers. The oldest I tried on this trip was a 1999 from Gloria Ferrer that showed some real class and sophistication without being tired. I think the goal for the next trip will be to see how old I can go and see if the fizz will hold up.

Sadly this year did not bring the opportunity to visit Louis Roederer in France but the long drive out to Philo to visit the Roederer Estate is well worth it (fill up before you go though, limited petrol stations). As you pull up the long drive to the winery on top of the hill then you are not only rewarded with an amazing view but a cracking selection of wines that are not readily available outside the US.

In a sleek and simple tasting room I tasted my way through Brut Rose Multi-Vintage, L'Ermitage 2002, Brut MV Magnum, Extra Dry MV and three still wines; Chardonnay 2007, Pinot Noir Rose 2009 and Pinot Noir 2007.  Back at the Majestic ranch in York we would always recommend the Louis Roederer Magnum mainly because it's a great Champagne but also because it adds a little something extra in a large format.

The same is definitely true of Roederer Estate in magnum. If you're celebrating anything Stateside, get your sweaty little paws on one of these gems. I love alternate format bottles anyway, there's nothing like a little half bottle of fizz and a good book for a long train journey and a magnum or jeroboam for big celebration (train journey not necessary).

I'm going to go off piste for a moment and recommend a still wine, it's OK I'll have a lie down shortly. I am something of a Francophile; I love France as a place, as a people and as a provider of wine to me. Thankfully Roederer Estate have taken some of that French style and skill in creating a Pinot Noir Rose that would give most Sancerre's a run for their money. A delicate salmon pink with crunchy red fruit flavours, cherries, raspberries and red apples with hints of vanilla, this wine is crisp, fresh and great drinking. The lightness of touch and skill in winemaking shows that California can produce very good still rose that is completely alien to the terrifying day-glo sticky sweet nightmares they are better known for.

Aside from the joy of a magnum, my sparkling recommendation from Roederer Estate has to be the L'Ermitage 2002. 52%Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir this wine is complex and interesting with hints of baked apple, lemon, almonds and toasty notes. Slightly honeyed with hints of white flowers its youthfulness betrays the eight years ageing it has had.

Roederer Estate was a fine end to my sparkling tour of the Napa Valley. Well not quite the end. I went for a sneaky glass of Dom Perignon 2002 at Napa Style. Sat next to the roaring fire, surrounded by enormous squash and pumpkins I wasn't drinking a local fizz but at that moment I couldn't have been anywhere else in the world and nor would I want to have been.