Great British Food Christmas 2024

Whilst Christmas brings anever ending to do list, there’s one part thatwe canmake a lot easier foryou –what to drink over the festive season! Cindy-MarieHarvey shares her festive favouritesworth celebrating Toast the Season English wines are superb right now – and what an exciting selection box of vinous goodies are being produced on our own doorstep. Need an elegant sparkler for your festive parties? A crisp chilled white for the seafood starter? A complex red to keep Uncle Edward smiling? English wines have it all. So, tell Alexa to play Michael Bublé and curl up with a glass of any of the below to plan your Christmas drinks order! Or, as so many English Wine Estates now have accommodation and restaurants, why not plan a tasting visit ahead of the festivities – and turn the wine shopping into a mini break away! For all those special moments of Christmas, from the lovely coming home after Midnight Mass or the less amusing, last-minute present wrapping – I recommend that you keep chilled in preparation Blanc de Blancs from Harrow & Hope , exquisite freshness and purity to revive! (harrowandhope.com ) The main event on the 25th always causes a ripple of worry, with so many different flavours on the plate – how can one wine be the right one? It’s not simply a question of colour – but more so, it’s the body and texture of the wine that counts. In the white corner, look at Roman Road Chardonnay from Simpsons (simpsonswine.com ) in Kent, with enough personality to cope with a range of foods (or for those hosting a crowd for lunch – look at their Q Class Chardonnay with its seductive texture – in Magnum). Staying in Kent, look out for the award winning, spectacular Kit’s Coty Chardonnay from Chapel Down (chapeldown.com ). Many people are still surprised at the quality of England’s still reds, especially the Pinot Noirs now being produced. A grape variety that despite being capricious in the vineyard is surprisingly food-friendly. Perfect with most of the festive meats, brilliant with turkey or goose, also great with mushrooms and aubergines – so pick up a bottle of Pinot Noir from Lyme Bay Winery (lymebaywinery.co.uk) , Danbury Ridge (danburyridge.com) or Langham (as above). If you’re planning a seafood platter, one of the great grape varieties to match that salinity is Albariño – usually found in Spain, but instead pick up a bottle from the vineyards of Kent. A trailblazer of this variety, busting with vibrancy from Balfour Winery . (balfourwinery.com ) If you have people “just popping in” at odd hours, you’ve sorted the mince pies as a welcome and you fancy something a little warming, why not try Jack Ratt Lugger Rum fromDevon, the spiced flavour perfect with Christmas cake – and is great in rum cream for the mince pies. (lymebaywinery. co.uk ) For the cocktail lovers and mixologists, try an English twist. In Sussex, Henners Vineyard not only make wine, also produce a quirky Limongino from their small batch English gin – perfect for this year’s trendy mix of a Limoncello Spritz! (hennersvineyard.co.uk ) Leftovers, as we all know, are sometimes the most irresistible of festive meals, so get creative with a warm salad bursting with punchy flavours on those days of Twixtmas. Red chicory, pomegranate seeds, crumbled stilton, pistachios – add to that some shredded turkey or goose warmed through with decent amount of sumac – perfect with a glass of Railway Hill Rosé from Simpsons in Kent (as above). No surprise that it won best Still Rosé Trophy this year. Going spicier with the leftovers with a slightly Asian twist? Try the aromatic Pinot Gris from Oastbrook Estate in East Sussex – it goes wonderfully well with warm spices such as cumin and coriander, or even just as partner to a match of scrabble. (oastbrook.com ) Finally, for those ‘just me’ moments of occasional peace and quiet, (treat yourself – it is Christmas!) pop open a bottle of Gusbourne Brut Late Disgorged 2013 – incredibly nuanced and complex, and will convince any die-hard Champagne fans that England does truly make serious world class fizz. (gusbourne.com ) Merry Christmas! Cindy-Marie Harvey is the owner of wine tour company Love Wine Food and author of Watercress, Willow & Wine (Whitefox, £25), the ideal Christmas present for wine lovers and foodies alike (lovewinefood.com ) . 17 greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com IDEAS | WINE