Words by Helena Nicklin, The Three Drinkers – Amazon Prime.
Twitter: @TheWinebird
For those celebrating the holidays on the water this December, there might need to be a few changes to the usual plans. Less can be so much more especially when space is at a premium, so go big on look and feel! Here are my picks for icon wines and thoughtful gifts that pack a punch despite their size.
The Fizz:
Champagne Rare Rosé 2008
Absolutely stunning on the outside as well as the inside (have you seen that rose gold lacing?), the Rare rosé 2008 is only the second vintage of pink to ever be made by the house. An elegant blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, Rare used to be part of the Piper Heidseck family, but since 2018 has been a ‘Grand Marque’ champagne in its own right. Only made in the most exquisite vintages, this is a bottle you’ll want to keep long after its finished.
RRP Circa £300 from Hedonism Wines & The Finest Bubble.
The White Wine:
Adrianna Vineyards, ‘White Stones’ Chardonnay, Catena, Argentina 2017
This wine, in my opinion, is the greatest New World Chardonnay you can find. Made in Argentina by legendary wine family Catena, up in their high altitude ‘Adrianna’ vineyards, this wine taste like no other on earth. It has the elegant, peach and melon fruit of a fabulous, cool climate Chardonnay, but with it, an ethereal, herbaceous note of rosemary and thyme. Hauntingly beautiful, rare and a must-taste wine for those that think they know their Chardonnay.
RRP from Vinissimus, Ministry of Drinks
Drink it with: Salmon, seafood, chicken and hard, nutty cheeses like Comté.
The Red Wine:
Vérité ‘La Muse’, Sonoma, California, 2013, 2014 or 2015
Like the Chardonnay above, this is another New World wine that has recently become an icon. Tasted with a select group of top wine writers, I have never seen a room swoon over wines like they did with Vérité. With three keys styles that allude to those of the most iconic Bordeaux châteaux (think Pétrus, Cheval Blanc and Margaux), but with added fruit richness, and perfumed charm, ‘La Muse’ is the ‘Right Bank’ style, with a high proportion of Merlot and a touch of Cabernet Franc and Malbec. My goodness, it sings!
RRP £350+ from Hedonism Wines, Bestofwines.com
Drink it with: Turkey and all the trimmings, beef, lamb or duck.
The Gifts…
The Ultimate Corkscrew: Code38
What do you buy the wine lover who has, seemingly, everything? Code38 make corkscrews with serious engineering. The latest P-Type model is milled from a single piece of aluminium and the lightness, form and function will mean you’ll never want to use another corkscrew again!
RRP £199 from Winerackd
The Best Wine Cooler: Ice Cool
A gift for a guest or for yourself on board, this elegant, beautifully weighted cooler takes ice in the side compartment to keep your labels dry and save space while cooling the whole thing down in record time. Space saving, time saving AND you can get it engraved to personalise it.
RRP From £90 at Icecoo.co
The Personal Touch: Personalised Veuve Clicquot Arrow
I love this personalised tin of bubbles for a bit of wow factor and fun. Who doesn’t love a bit of Veuve at Christmas and the personalised box means they know you’ve actually thought about it!
RRP £59 from Selfridges.
Helena Nicklin is an award-winning drinks writer and presenter of The Three Drinkers TV series on Amazon Prime.
See more at TheThreeDrinkers.com
