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...

Viennese whirl

Oooooh Vienna, whether it is the original or the impressive Seal version, it's pretty tricky to walk around Vienna without the song playing in my mind. Maybe I'm just of a certain age...

One of the joys of wine is it has taken me to places I may not have found myself in normally. Like Tunbridge Wells. But that is another blog... Austria however wouldn't have featured in the sparkling world trip if I had not stumbled across the Szigeti stand at the London International Wine Fair this year. Two of my colleagues found me and told me I had to go and see the man who made sparkling Gruner Veltliner. Being me I was primed to  mock. Being me I was curious enough to try first. I went, I tasted, I had no opportunity to mock.

The folks at Szigeti can make anything sparkle. I was met by Peter Szigeti at the Sekt Comptoir on Judengasse http://www.szigeti.at/sektoutlet.htm one of the city's two dedicated sparkling wine bars. We drove the hour or so through the traffic to Gols in Burgenland where I tried nearly all 25 sparklers available. Welschriesling, Blaufrankisch, Zwiegelt, Tokaji, Neuberger, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Weissburgunder all made an appearance at some point. I can't remember having spent a better afternoon drinking fizz in a while! It was an absolute pleasure to spend the day with someone who has so much passion in making things sparkle. Although they are not trying to ape champagne in any way, skills and equipment come from the Champagne region, I got to watch my first disgorgement in action as well...

Like a nerd I loved it! It was such a great way to kick off the sparkling tour with someone who has a passion for quality and also a curiosity to make the unusual sparkle. After a lovely afternoon I took the train back to Vienna (cheap, clean and efficient-why aren't they like this in the UK????) and had a nosey around for more Austrian sparkling wine.


Dedicated aren't I? Favourite other than Szigeti was a Brundelmayer, Kamptal Sekt. Pinot Noir 85%, Gruner Veltliner 15%, a very classy offering, excellent structure, lots of fruit, crisp acidity a real gem of a sparkling wine. Least favourite was the big brand leader for Austrian wine the Schlumberger which had something of the pub carpet about it, a bit claggy and mass produced. Very glad I didn't try this one first.


If I've learnt one thing about my Viennese whirl it is not to lose my curiosity. I had not expected that I would enjoy a sparkling Welschriesling and that it would be very well made but I am very glad that I have stumbled across it. I'm looking forward to trying many new things that surprise and impress me on my journey.

I did also go to Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Picasso and Michaelangelo exhibition, the natural history museum and a go on the Big Wheel with time to buy an amusing giant pencil for my nephew. It's all about balance....