Seasonal port and sherry to savor | David Williams
Bodegas Tradición Fino Sherry, Jerez, Spain NV (£36.56, justerinis.com) Like pets, fortified wines aren't just for Christmas. But while I urge people to drink more of these criminally underrated wines at other times of the year, I have to admit they're especially good amid the feasting, glitz and comfort of the season. . I'm going to start my roundup this year with the fortified that does best at the start of or before a meal: dry sherry. Both fino and manzanilla styles can be great value, with Morrisons Fino Sherry (£5.69) and Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla (£7, Sainsbury's) both doing the light, nutty flavorful thing and the yeast that whets the appetite which, as well as being the aperitif par excellence, also goes very well with my plate of olives and nuts to wrap the presents on Christmas Eve. Spend a little more, and you'll step into the realm of something quite special with the added intensity and depth of flavor you'll find in both Barbadillo Pastora Manzanilla Pasada en Rama NV (£20, ocado.com) and the truly extraordinary Bodegas Tradición Fino.
Tesco Finest 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal NV (£12.50, Tesco) Port is the fortified port that is our more aggressively imposed as a Christmas drink, or at least the drink to have with the holy festive cheese. But not all ports are created equal when it comes to pairing with stilton. For me, aged tawny ports, which have had years or decades of softening in barrels before bottling, are by far the best choice to accompany the sour-salty combination of blue cheese that different styles of port have - like ruby, reserve, late bottled vintages and vintage ports – which were bottled at a younger stage in their development and have much more evident tannins. The Symington family behind the Graham's, Dow's and Warre's brands make it a particularly good version for Tesco; while Sandeman 20 Year Old Tawny Port (£34.95, thewhiskyexchange.com) is a fine example of the complexity and balance you find in what I consider to be the sweet spot for mid-aged tawnys two decades in barrel.
Coume del Mas Galateo, Banyuls, France 2020 (£26.10, 37.5cl, hedonism.co.uk) Port can provide enough pleasure to cheese-free alone, of course, and for after-dinner sipping the velvety grip of tannins found in the best late vintages and best vintage ports is an integral part of their multi-faceted allure. Some of my favorites from this year's tastings include the sumptuous, excellent value Graham's LBV 2015 (£10.99, waitrosecellar.com); the purring, poised Quinta do Noval Late Bottled Vintage 2016 (£25, ocado.com); the silky, luscious and super-fresh 2015 Niepoort LBV (£19.99, slurp.co.uk); and Fonseca Guimaraens Black Fruit Cascade 2008 (£32, tanners-wines.co.uk). Most of these ports would pair happily with a dark chocolate of your choice, as would some of the port fortified wines made from the Grenache grape over the border with Spain at Banyuls in southern Catalan France. La Coume del Mas Galateo is a particularly luxurious example: deep, dark and sweet, it is accompanied by a real explosion of bright and shiny blackberries underlined by subtle spicy notes.
Follow David Williams on Twitter @Daveydaibach
Bodegas Tradición Fino Sherry, Jerez, Spain NV (£36.56, justerinis.com) Like pets, fortified wines aren't just for Christmas. But while I urge people to drink more of these criminally underrated wines at other times of the year, I have to admit they're especially good amid the feasting, glitz and comfort of the season. . I'm going to start my roundup this year with the fortified that does best at the start of or before a meal: dry sherry. Both fino and manzanilla styles can be great value, with Morrisons Fino Sherry (£5.69) and Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla (£7, Sainsbury's) both doing the light, nutty flavorful thing and the yeast that whets the appetite which, as well as being the aperitif par excellence, also goes very well with my plate of olives and nuts to wrap the presents on Christmas Eve. Spend a little more, and you'll step into the realm of something quite special with the added intensity and depth of flavor you'll find in both Barbadillo Pastora Manzanilla Pasada en Rama NV (£20, ocado.com) and the truly extraordinary Bodegas Tradición Fino.
Tesco Finest 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal NV (£12.50, Tesco) Port is the fortified port that is our more aggressively imposed as a Christmas drink, or at least the drink to have with the holy festive cheese. But not all ports are created equal when it comes to pairing with stilton. For me, aged tawny ports, which have had years or decades of softening in barrels before bottling, are by far the best choice to accompany the sour-salty combination of blue cheese that different styles of port have - like ruby, reserve, late bottled vintages and vintage ports – which were bottled at a younger stage in their development and have much more evident tannins. The Symington family behind the Graham's, Dow's and Warre's brands make it a particularly good version for Tesco; while Sandeman 20 Year Old Tawny Port (£34.95, thewhiskyexchange.com) is a fine example of the complexity and balance you find in what I consider to be the sweet spot for mid-aged tawnys two decades in barrel.
Coume del Mas Galateo, Banyuls, France 2020 (£26.10, 37.5cl, hedonism.co.uk) Port can provide enough pleasure to cheese-free alone, of course, and for after-dinner sipping the velvety grip of tannins found in the best late vintages and best vintage ports is an integral part of their multi-faceted allure. Some of my favorites from this year's tastings include the sumptuous, excellent value Graham's LBV 2015 (£10.99, waitrosecellar.com); the purring, poised Quinta do Noval Late Bottled Vintage 2016 (£25, ocado.com); the silky, luscious and super-fresh 2015 Niepoort LBV (£19.99, slurp.co.uk); and Fonseca Guimaraens Black Fruit Cascade 2008 (£32, tanners-wines.co.uk). Most of these ports would pair happily with a dark chocolate of your choice, as would some of the port fortified wines made from the Grenache grape over the border with Spain at Banyuls in southern Catalan France. La Coume del Mas Galateo is a particularly luxurious example: deep, dark and sweet, it is accompanied by a real explosion of bright and shiny blackberries underlined by subtle spicy notes.
Follow David Williams on Twitter @Daveydaibach
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