Well Christmas 2013 has finally arrive and we’ve got some suggestions of wines to enjoy over the next 10 days before we all go back to real life in January, starting with bubbles......

Louis de Custine Cuvee Tradition Champagne N/V €24.50 (on promotion)

Stockist:  Dunnes Stores

Christmas is the time we like to hear the cork go Pop!!!   Whether on Christmas Day to start the celebrations or New Year’s Eve to round them off,  we all like a wine with bubbles to put us in a festive frame of mind.  These days most people will purchase a bottle of the Italian sparkling wine Prosecco  as their bubble of choice, but always remember that sparkling wines from the Champagne region has layers of complexity not found in Prosecco and is also particularly good served with food.  

Champagne is a small region north-east of Paris in the valley of the Marne.  It has a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters.  In some years the grapes struggle to ripen.  The climate and soil contribute to the production of the high acidity in the grapes. Three grape varieties are used in the blend Pinot Noir used for body, long life, roundness. Pinot Meunier provides fruit to the blend,  Chardonnay freshness, elegance,  and acidity.

Most Champagnes are made from a blend of either two or all three varieties. The Chalky soils in the Champagne region are also unique.  The Romans built cold, deep chalky cellars, which are used to age Champagne once it has been bottled.

How is Champagne make?   It involves a second fermentation in the bottle (methode Champenoise) of a still wine with a natural high acidity. The wine is bottled and some extra yeast and sugar (dosage) is added to the bottle which is sealed and stored.  A second fermentation starts taking place which gives the wine it's sparkle (carbon dioxide).

The yeast sediment is eventually moved to the neck of the bottle through remuage usually by machine (gyropalette). The yeast sediment is finally removed by degorgement - the popping of the crown cork to release the yeast in the neck of the bottle. The final product is then sealed with a special three layered cork held down by wire (muselet) that has Champagne written on it, and usually the name of the 'house' or marque.

The label does not state "Appellation" Champagne it is the only area in the EU allowed to call it's sparkling wines Champagne. Over 75% of champagne produced is non-vintage.

Founded in 1899 by Jules Médot, the House has remained in the founder’s family for five generations. Champagne Médot make wines that are soft, easy-drinking in style and universally appealing.   The Louis de Custine has typical ripe fruit flavours with toasty notes and  offers outstanding value for money.

2010 Nugan Estate Vision Chardonnay  €8.00 (on promotion 24^th Nov – 31^st Dec)

Stockist:  SuperValu Nationwide

Last time I was on a listener asked what wine goes with ham?  Well this Australian Chardonnay is a good wine to match with boiled or baked ham.   The tropical fruits with the lightest touch of vanilla showing through make this a perfect wine to serve with ham.

Matthew Nugan is the owner of Nugan Estate, a family-run premium producer of estate grown wine based in Griffith, New South Wales, Australia.  Alfredo Nugan emigrated from Spain in the 1940’s to start the bsuiness

The vineyard has  now been in the family for three  generations and is recognised for crafting wines from Australia’s finest wine regions as well has having a reputation for quality, craftsmanship and passion for wine.

Nine years ago Nugan Estate launched its estate grown wines in Ireland exclusively in partnership with SuperValu.

Chardonnay has a great affinity with wood.  Wine which is made from this grape variety has medium acidity and broad fruit flavours that taste like melon or grapefruit or ripe pear and peach.  Chardonnay is now grown successfully in the world major wine regions. It varies from light to full bodied and from crisp green apple flavours of Chablis in Burgundy France,  (cool climate)  to the full fruity styles  from places in the New World such as Australia (hot climate).

Australian Chardonnay tends to be made in warm fruity style with very ripe, rich concentrated fruit.  A full bodied wine.   Australian Chardonnay may also have a strong oak influence.  Characteristic golden colour with tropical fruit flavours, fair acidity and a rounded buttery flavour from oak ageing.

2009  Esprit du Silene €12.00 

Stockist:  SPAR, EUROSPAR, MACE Nationwide

After you’ve eaten all the turkey you can eat and you’ve gone in search of some alternative  red or white meat, this is a great wine to enjoy with beef or pork during the Christmas holiday break.  From the Coteaux du Languedoc in the South of France this is an Estate wine made by a family called Skalli.  It won a Silver Medal at the Decanter Wine Awards in 2009.

Legend has it that an earthenware seal bearing an effigy of Silenus (tutor of Dionysius the Greek god of wine and the grape) was found on this estate in the heart of the Coteaux du Languedoc – Grès de Montpellier appellation area.

The estate is ideally situated on gravely sandstone soils, deep and rich in minerals. Set in typical healthy Mediterranean garrigue scrubland, it produces an outstanding Syrah as well as a little Grenache and Cinsault.

Syrah (dominant with 80%) and Grenache (20%).  The wine is aged 100% in French new oak barrels  This wine is concentrated yet elegant with cherry and cocoa  notes.  Tannins  are firm but will soften and become silky over time.

In France in the region of Northern Rhone one grape variety dominates for red wines.  Syrah, which is known in Australia as Shiraz. The complex Syrah grape will gives a deep coloured positively perfumed red wine,  Syrah produces serious red wines which are capable of ageing for decades.  Wines made from Syrah tend to produce dense, purple-coloured wines with rich, often spicy fruit flavours and are usually very tannic when young.  In the southern Rhône a useful blending partner is the red Grenache grape.  Grenache, is a Spanish grape variety,  is known for it's brawn rather than it's beauty.   When blended with the openly fruity grape such as Syrah,  Grenache adds a note of interest.   Grenache give mixed soft red fruit flavours to the blend.