I wish it could be Christmas wines every day

It’s getting colder. We’re being told what we can and can’t do over Christmas and who we can and cannot visit. Who’s in for staying in and drinking for England? Or even France or South Africa?

Whatever you get to do and who you get to see, make sure you get your wines right. ‘Tis the season for your deeper reds, but not on every occasion; and you need something to balance the fullness of your Christmas dinner against your meat selection, vegetable overload and vegan fayre. Yes, the Christmas dinner is up for grabs and a fantastic chance to share a delicious wine.

Let’s face it, we’ll be starting early. Whether it’s getting that lovely Fino sherry out the cupboard, or going full on fizz with the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast. Let the kids play and make sure you’re taking it easy with the best, and a decent pace setter.

So, for your fizz, by all means open one of those bottles of Champagne you’ve received as gifts over the year(s). Today is not the day for Prosecco. Try a Cava instead - beautifully made, lovely northern Spanish climate, real fizz and great value and taste. Enjoy those Freixenet, Segura or Xarello flavours, or a Rose Monsatrell / Pinot Noir. All good.

Even better, crack open a fabulous Cremant, an alternative to Champagne that’s made in numerous French regions - the Loire, Limoux, Alsace, Burgundy, Jura. Cremant is bubbly made from secondary fermentation for a longer fizz with a nuttier, biscuit flavour. A world away from Prosecco and it balances your pre-lunch snacking perfectly. You won’t be disappointed.

If you want to spend more, then it’s time to try English sparkling. Langham Wine in Dorset has just been crowned international sparkling wine producer of the year. It’s Blanc de Blanc 2015 will charm, but there are loads of English possibilities here and worth a try. Our (slightly) warmer summers and cold (miserable) winters are perfect growing conditions, with our southern chalk soils ramping up acidity levels for a soothing taste.

If you want a lighter wine introduction to late Christmas morning, go off road and surprise your loved ones with a vibrant Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris or a Riesling; try one from the Alsace, Germany or South Australia’s Clare Valley. If you love Prosecco so much, then push the boat out with a regional alternative - the Franciacorto. Just smoother all round and it’ll feel a bit like Christmas. You can go pink with this one as well.

It’s been a tough year, so do treat yourself - once the tree’s up - to something that will help reflect on 2020 and what we’ve all endured. Drink those whites with real flavour at this time of year; nothing beats an Albarino. It goes with everything light and has a real balance of crispness, flavour and fragrance. Try a Portuguese Alvarinho - great value - or a French or South African Viognier, an exceptional grape and very versatile.

It is of course, the time of year for your favourite reds. Build up from Pinot Noir to the best Cabernet Sauvignons, Malbecs and Sangioveses you can find. Or just stay with Rioja (go Riserva) or a real smooth Spanish treat from Ribero del Duero.

For the Christmas table itself, make sure you’ve got the best options for everyone’s taste, but wines that fit the occasion. Go Chardonnay before Sauvignon Blanc; Cotes du Rhone and Burgundy before your full-on Malbecs or Californian reds.

Balance your seafood starter with an Albarino, a Gavi, a Muscadet to a finish, or a Chenin Blanc which will last the meal and be a real treat. A Viognier will also last the course through to turkey, or just go Chablis, Burgundy or get someone to open that special bottle of Montrachet. All Chardonnay and a huge treat for the complexity of food in front of you.

For those now ready for a red, you’ll be in for a treat with a Burgundy (Pinot Noir) or a Portuguese red like a Dao. Try a balanced Pinotage from South Africa or a real treat - a Loire valley red which won’t be too heavy, yet will give a little freshness to the lighter flavours, whether vegan, poultry or game. Something fruity like a French Gamay will also shine.

If you live in the country and are having goose or something stronger, then go fuller flavour - an oakier Chardonnay or a fuller flavoured Pinot Noir or Cotes du Rhone. Any wine more complex to balance the game. You’ll be posher, so will be able to spend more.

Don’t ignore dessert - even if you have a break - and don’t drop the wine ball here. Sweet wines will be a perfect complement, or you should finish the meal with a smooth port. To benefit and truly enjoy the experience, eat something sweet then sip your dessert wine for a taste sensation to match the finest palate. Your dessert won’t taste as sickly sweet and you’ll be able to digest what you really didn’t feel like mere moments ago.

Try a Semillon, any late bottled harvest, or I’d recommend a Tokaji - a taste of caramel honey. If you can face cheese, open that port. If you’ve gone big on dessert and there’s chocolate involved or a supplementary sweetness, then a Pedro Ximenez sherry - taken in very small doses with the sweetest food, then sip - will excite and be a treat of concentrated spice. One for the cupboard, for sure. Pour it over ice cream on another day.

Make sure you have decent wines to enjoy to reward the effort you’ve spent on the food. Open and taste as you’re cooking. And save for later if you must. Check out our gifts here @MediaVino as we’ve got some crackers from the Loire, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, England and beyond. It’s a great time to try something different, complex and wonderful. Enjoy and Merry Christmas. It’s still 2020 - you and your family deserve it.