Monday, December 27, 2021

What Have We Been Drinking This Christmas?

 Christmas gatherings this year have been much smaller in many countries, as we are still in the grip of covid-19. However, I am sure this community has still been enjoying their wine. My drinkings are shown below.



The Arras Sparkling was sadly disappointing. It was fresh, but had little complexity and no biscuit flavours. The Nimbostratus Chardonnay is an unusual wine, which I will report on separately. I enjoyed the Derthona again, which I have reviewed previously. It is a bigger white wine without having buttery flavours. It went well with the prawns. But the wine of the day was the Georges Noëllat Burgundy. Again, I will review it separately.

What have you been drinking? Please comment. I am also interested in comments from the Northern Hemisphere, where different temperatures no doubt lead to different choices. 


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mix of things acknowledging the big family occasions aren't built for wine appreciation per se so more skewed to value for money.

Christmas Day - Rouleur Pinot Noir 2021 ($26) was drinking beautifully, cherries for days as was the Voyager Chenin Blanc 2020 ($17), so vibrant in flavour and a lot to offer for such a low price.

Boxing Day - bit more indulgence with a 2018 Castagna Adam's Rib. It's a nebbiolo/syrah blend and so smooth/perfumed it's not funny. Dangerously drinkable and the bottle disappeared quickly. Also threw in a Brash Higgins ZBO (Zibibbo), that nose is stunning and the taste really threw people haha.

kr1 said...

Day started with a 2020 Terre a Terre Sauvignon Blanc followed by some NV Deviation Road Beltane and Daosa Blanc de Blancs.
For lunch we had a 1998 Pendolds Bin 389, 2016 Geddes Fe2+ Shiraz, 2007 Joseph Angel Gully Shiraz, and 2000 Grosset Pinot.
Desserts were accompanied by a 2013 Coriole Mistelle and 1998 Noon Vintage Port.
Evening libations started with some NV Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red and proceeded to 08 Joseph Cabernet Moda, 01 Jamieson’s Run Rothwell Shiraz, 02 Noon Eclipse, 1996 Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz, 2000 Houghton Jack Mann, 1994 Wynns John Riddoch and finished on a 1998 Rockford Shiraz VP.
Some whiskies and Armagnas did make an appearance as well at the tail end.
Wines were shared with friends and not consumed alone or my liver would be in real trouble.

Mark said...

Value for money was also the go, for a large family gathering.
2019 Fraser Gallop Parterre Chardonnay, Oakridge Barkala 2019 Chardonnay, both had flinty notes.
Glaetzer Dixon Avance 2019 Pinot Noir, also had a superb Dexter Mornington 2020 Pinot Noir, wotn drank out of Zalto Burg, a xmas gift.

Alontin said...

Thank you for your comments. What a variety of wines.

It is good to see that highly regarded wineries were chosen for value for money drinks. This gives you the best chance for a satisfying result.

kr1, you went all out again. Clearly, covid-19 did not restrict the size of your party. Your selection of lunch wines would have knocked me out, haha.

Gazzab said...

For opening presents and with freshly shucked oysters we had the Maison Mumm 2014 BdeB champagne, on special at VC, had not seen the label before, but rated well in 2020 from 3 MW's doing an extensive champagne tasting. Very fresh and quite a saline note on the nose, most enjoyable. For scallop entree and turkey a Giaconda 2016 chardonnay, I consider at its peak and very moreish. Lastly a Pimpernel 2015 Pinot Noir Two, another crowd pleaser.