Winemakers Christmas Case
"I’m often asked if I get bored of drinking my own wines. The short answer is no, I frequently enjoy them with friends and family! I am still excited by drinking wines I have made, often many years ago. They change and develop over time and there is no better way to get to know their evolution than by regular drinking. At Christmas time my family have come to expect the full Hattingley range to be served – and this year, for the first time I can match our traditional roast beef Christmas lunch with Hattingley’s first serious attempt at red wine which is very exciting"
Emma Rice
Kings Cuvée – A proper celebratory cuvee, this is the perfect wine to have on New Year’s Eve, it can be drunk by itself or it goes brilliantly with caviar and sour cream topped blinis. What other excuse do you need?
Classic Reserve NV – The Classic Reserve is made to be sipped at any time of day – easy to drink and great by itself or with lightly salted crisps you need no excuse to open one of these whenever you fancy some bubbles over the festive season
Blanc de Blancs – the perfect accompaniment to your smoked salmon canapes or starter and to sharpen the palate before the main event.
Still Reserve Chardonnay – The much-maligned Chardonnay grape, ubiquitous the world over, also produces the greatest white wines of the world in Burgundy. Whilst I am not attempting to re-create a Meursault Grand Cru with this Reserve Chardonnay, our trademark usage of older more neutral barrels gives this wine a subtle hint of oak and a softer palate than our unoaked version. There is a richness that will complement the traditional Christmas Eve meal of poached salmon. The acidity will balance any butter and rich sauce whilst the delicate flavours will not over power the delicate fish.
Still Pinot Noir – Ideal for those of you who prefer beef for Christmas lunch. Soft tannins and subtle oak mean this is substantial enough for red meat but as a medium-bodied red wine it will also go brilliantly with turkey and all the trimmings.
Entice – the perfect partner for cheese, particularly blue cheeses like stilton and soft, ripe brie-type varieties. The acidity in the wine balances the high sugar level meaning it doesn’t taste cloying whilst still cutting through the richness of the cheese. The sweetness of Entice really complements the sharpness of Stilton in much the same way that Sauternes and Roquefort go together in France. You can also drink this with Christmas pudding and brandy butter. The sweetness will complement the nutty flavours in the pudding, or in a mince pie, whilst the acidity will cut through the brandy butter or cream that is the compulsory topping for this dessert.
