The UK Wine scene is the most vibrant, diverse, and energising it has ever been, with a flurry of new wineries and distilleries opening up in the last decade, adding an array of styles to the already burgeoning Traditional Method Sparkling scene. I have laid out a number of recommendations below to see you through the day, kicking off with aperitif/fish starter wines, some richer styles for the main event, followed by a couple cocktail recommendations for dessert, utilising brilliantly unique British spirits.
Aperitif & Seafood Course
From decadent & toasty traditional method fizz to fresh and aromatic whites, these are great wines to get the appetite going, and work beautifully with any seafood-based starters, such as smoked salmon and prawn cocktail.
Cuvee Jack Pike | Breaky Bottom | 2015 - £35.50 www.butlers-winecellar.co.uk
Winemaker Peter Hall is an absolute icon in the English wine world. This wine is 100% Seyval Blanc and comes from a vineyard Peter planted in 1974. It is an electric combination of fresh vibrant orchard fruit and savoury notes of salted butter on toast.
Blanc de Blancs | Tickerage | 2015 - £44 www.tickeragewine.co.uk
Anthony & Zena run a small project near Uckfield in Sussex, and this wine is an absolute gem in their line-up. 100% Chardonnay and 8 years on lees gives the wine a breathtaking intensity of lemon zest and thyme alongside an incredibly warming honey and caramelised apple richness.
Rose de Saignee | Everflyht | 2020 - £45 www.grapebrittania.co.uk
Everflyht is a project based near Ditchling, with a focus on regenerative agriculture and biodiversity. The Saignee method involves ‘bleeding’ colour from the skins, rather than mixing red and white wines which, surprisingly, is the norm for traditional method sparkling wines. This is a gorgeous combination of fresh raspberry, cherry, and creamy brioche.
Blanc de Noirs | Bee Tree by Sugrue | 2021 - £35.75 www.wanderlustwine.co.uk
Dermot & Ana Sugrue are the country’s most lauded winemakers, and we are very lucky to have them here in Sussex. This is their fresh and approachable range from their Bee Tree vineyard, near to Lewes. Made from 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier, this young traditional method sparkling wine has a red fruit depth of richness to it, to balance out its zippy lemon acidity and clementine leaf freshness.
Pinot Gris | Stopham Estate – 2023 - £20.95 www.henningswine.co.uk
Stopham Estate are based in the heard of a beautiful old village in West Sussex, and this Pinot Gris is brimming with aromatic peach and apricot fruit, alongside a green herbaceous freshness.
Organic Bacchus Ortega | Natalia Harris | 2023 - £29 www.palatebottleshop.com
Natalia Harris is based near Hastings, and crafts this beautiful, singular expressive still wine that is teeming with elderflower, peach, and a saline grapefruit zing.
Main Course & Cheese
The Below wines are richer in style and work great with roasted turkey, veggie wellingtons and nut roasts, as well as a range of cheese.
Chardonnay | Oxney Estate | 2022 - £25 www.oxneyestate.com
Oxney are one of the few certified organic producers in the country, and this Chardonnay really delivers. Fresh and clean with bright lime zest and pear fruit, alongside a salinity and touch of butter and yoghurt character from the time it spends in French Oak. The perfect Turkey wine, and also an absolute belter for Brie and Camembert.
Ortega Skin Contact | Westwell | 2023 - £27 www.westwellwines.com
Adrian Pike’s Kent based Westwell may just be the most dynamic and exciting winery in the country. This is their infamous skin contact Ortega, which spends two weeks on skins before ageing in a mixture of steel and old Burgundy barrels for six months. The result is a wild explosion of apricot, clementine leaf, and honeysuckle with the perfect combination of freshness and texture. The unique nature of this wine makes it a great match for game meats, but also for pungent washed rind styles of cheese.
Diamond Fields Pinot Noir | Davenport | 2022 - £21 www.davenportvineyards.co.uk
Will Davenport first planted vines in 1991 and makes one of the best Pinot Noir’s in the country from his small area planted across the Sussex and Kent border. This is all redcurrant and raspberry fruit with a touch of spice and tannin to enrich the character of the wine. Great for the Turkey main course.
Cabaret Noir | Artelium | 2023 - £31.50 www.butlers-winecellar.co.uk
Artelium are based near ditching and this limited production red is made from Cabaret Noir, a disease resistant hybrid variety that is well suited to the UK’s cool climate. The wine is a cornucopia of juicy plum and blackberry fruit with a touch of cedar spice from the use of American Oak. Despite this rich sounding profile, it is still super fresh and only clocks in at 12%. It has the richness to stand up to meat but would also work well with salty hard cheese.
Dessert
British wines are not a great match up for the intensity of a Christmas pudding, trifle, or yule log. However, we are lucky enough to have some great distilleries here in the UK crafting beautiful spirits, from iconic Scotch to award winning gins and exceptional brandies. The two cocktails below are stylistically very different, but both are a great option for festive puds. Plus, after a big old roast dinner, it’s nice to change up the drinking a little bit and move away from wine, if only for a moment.
Trafalgar Square
A twist on the New Orleans classic Vieux Carré, using Somerset’s Shipwreck 8-year-old Cider Brandy, a great alternative to Calvados. This cocktail has enough sweetness from the Benedictine and vermouth, which alongside the punch of apple brandy and rye whisky, works brilliantly with the intense dried fruit and boozy character of a Christmas pudding.
20ml Somerset Shipwreck Cider Brandy 2022
20ml Rye whisky (eg Rittenhouse)
20ml Sweet Vermouth (eg Cocchi di Torino)
10ml Benedictine DOM liqueur
2 dash Peychaud’s bitters
1 dash aromatic bitters (eg Abbott’s or Angostura)
Add all ingredients to a cocktail tin and stir over ice for 45 seconds. Strain into an ice filled rocks glass and garnish with a festive clementine leaf.
Somerset Shipwreck Cider Brandy - £42.95 | Cocchi Vermouth di Torino - £25.95 | Rittenhouse Rye - £41.75 | Benedictine DOM Liqueur - £31.25 www.whiskyexchange.com
Egg-grog
John and Gina’s Goldstone Rum are an award-winning distillery, despite having only started up a few years ago. Their punchy spiced rum leans more into allspice, clove, and cassia, rather than just sweet vanilla. This combines with the savoury, nutty and umami driven profile of Palo Cortado Sherry to create a decadent and festive base for this eggnog. Once you have this you’ll never go back to Baileys. This recipe will make around 3 bottles worth, so can easily be halved or divided by 3 for a smaller batch. Despite the inclusion of eggs and dairy, eggnog can last for years in the fridge, due to the alcohol content’s sterilising effects. Some people even age their eggnogs for a few months in order to develop and enhance the flavours.
12 large eggs
400ml Goldstone Spiced Rum
400ml Palo Cortado Sherry (eg Barbadillo)
1 Litre Whole Milk
700ml Double Cream
400g Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Add the eggs to a blender/mixer and slowly beat until smooth. Add in the sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Once dissolved add in the rum and sherry, before slowly adding in the cream and milk. Blend everything together and then add into sterilised bottles. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve into chilled glasses. Finish off with a dusting of fresh grated nutmeg.
Barbadillo Criadera Selection Palo Cortado en Rama - £18.75 www.thewhiskyexchange.com | Goldstone Spiced Rum - £40 www.goldstonerum.com
Sam
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