…AND TO DRINK?
My advice for 2014 is to ignore the columnists telling you to give up drink for January. If you’re that worried about your drinking, take September off or just drink less; but it’s mad to stop drinking at the only time of year when you actually need it. January in Britain is miserable: it’s freezing and there is no Christmas holiday to look forward to. Happily, our ancestors discovered a way of bottling the sunshine of the Mediterranean and the southern hemisphere, and keeping it for when it is needed most. It’s called wine. Here are a few to keep out the cold.
Prieuré Sainte Marie d’Albas 4 Saisons Corbières 2010, £9.79: www.lsfinewines.co.uk
It’s uncanny how this one smells of southern France – dark cherries, herbs and something earthy. The fruit is rich with some leathery notes, more herbs and a good bite of tannin. It’s a little wild. Just the thing with lamb.
Marananga Dam Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 2011, £14.99: www.marksandspencer.com
From Australia’s baking Barossa Valley, but with more than a hint of Provence: there are oranges and lemons, spices and herbs. There’s also quite a bit of alcohol, which is just the ticket in January.
Gómez Cruzado Reserva 2007, £17.99: www.laithwaites.co.uk
I drink a lot of Rioja. But this particular one is different from the norm. For a start, it doesn’t smell of vanilla; it’s elegantly spicy, and the body is light and fragrant, almost like burgundy.
Botaina Amontillado Seco, £11.25: www.thewinesociety.com
The ultimate winter wines are fortified. If you really want to cut down, buy a bottle of this rich, dry, nutty sherry, and have half a glass now and then. A bottle should keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Prieuré Sainte Marie d’Albas 4 Saisons Corbières 2010, £9.79: www.lsfinewines.co.uk
It’s uncanny how this one smells of southern France – dark cherries, herbs and something earthy. The fruit is rich with some leathery notes, more herbs and a good bite of tannin. It’s a little wild. Just the thing with lamb.
Marananga Dam Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 2011, £14.99: www.marksandspencer.com
From Australia’s baking Barossa Valley, but with more than a hint of Provence: there are oranges and lemons, spices and herbs. There’s also quite a bit of alcohol, which is just the ticket in January.
Gómez Cruzado Reserva 2007, £17.99: www.laithwaites.co.uk
I drink a lot of Rioja. But this particular one is different from the norm. For a start, it doesn’t smell of vanilla; it’s elegantly spicy, and the body is light and fragrant, almost like burgundy.
Botaina Amontillado Seco, £11.25: www.thewinesociety.com
The ultimate winter wines are fortified. If you really want to cut down, buy a bottle of this rich, dry, nutty sherry, and have half a glass now and then. A bottle should keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.