There’s nothing higher to enliven a Christmas dinner desk than a vibrant bottle of crimson or golden white wine, however in addition to trying nice, it has to style spectacular. We’ve sampled some award-winning wine choices from fifth-generation winemaker Laurent Delaunay, from a luxurious chardonnay to a playful pinot noir, which we predict will make the proper addition to your festive feast.
Edouard Delaunay Bourgogne Aligoté 2020£24
Aligoté is a much less well-known grape selection from Burgundy, however Edouard Delaunay is seeking to put it firmly again on the winemaking map. Bourgogne Aligoté 2020 is created utilizing grapes grown in one of many highest vineyards in Burgundy which can be hand-picked as soon as they attain peak ripeness and acidity. They’re then pressed and fermented in oak barrels, the place the wine stays on the lees for 4 months earlier than early bottling.
It’s straightforward on the attention, with pale, straw-yellow colouring. There are contemporary notes of citrus on the nostril, with the lemon and mandarin melding with floral and minimize straw. The flavour opens out additional on the palate, revealing extra orchard and stone fruits and a touch of honeyed sweetness. The lengthy end has a contact of salinity that retains you coming again for extra, and makes it crisp and clear in flavour.
Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon Chardonnay Le Village 2022£20
Chardonnay Le Village is produced by Abbotts & Delaunay on the 25-hectare Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon Property, situated within the Languedoc’s Haute Vallée de l’Aude. The property organically produces grapes which make top-quality chardonnay and pinot noir wines.
This younger chardonnay is advanced but well-balanced, because of the manufacturing technique, which sees 75% of the cuvée aged on lees for eight months, with the remaining 25% aged in stainless-steel vats at low temperatures.
On the nostril, loads of ripe fruit with peach and citrus is inviting you in. There’s additionally a contact of sweetness there, and with the floral notes, it has a heat summer season really feel to it. As soon as on the palate, a nutty trace provides a extra woody edge to the flavour. The fruit continues, with just a little tropical banana rounding out the mouthful.
It’s laborious to go fallacious with a great chardonnay, and that is no exception. It’s contemporary with only a trace of acidity, and with its pale gold hue, it’ll be a terrific addition to any festive desk.
Edouard Delaunay Gevrey-Chambertin Le Village 2019£66
Gevrey-Chambertin is the most important wine-producing village in Burgundy, producing a classically intense pinot noir. Grapes are chosen from numerous plots that develop at an altitude of 250-300 metres earlier than present process the vinification course of. They’re then aged in barrels, of which a 3rd are new oak, for 16 months earlier than being blended and bottled.
The result’s a wealthy, deep crimson glassful. On the nostril, there’s a touch of peppery spice with darkish crimson fruits — cherry and raspberry — to start out the flavour journey. The fruits are carried by means of onto the palate and joined by citrus and liquorice, which additional deepen the flavour. A touch of almond and a contact of espresso within the lengthy end make it a terrific glass of warming Pinot Noir for the festive season.
Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon Solaire Pinot Noir 2017£27
The identify Solaire alludes to the 17-year-old winery from which the grapes have been harvested for this single winery wine from Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon. As soon as the grapes have been collected and ready, they’re fermented in an open tank for a number of days earlier than the complete fermentation and maceration course of takes place. The ensuing liquid is then matured for round 9 months in younger oak barrels earlier than being bottled.
This pretty advanced course of produces a fabulously deep-coloured wine, which has an earthy aroma, with those self same tones initially enlivening the palate. There are hints of woodland peat and mushrooms, however then the floral tones creep in. As soon as within the mouth, the liquid blossoms, bringing crimson fruits and berries, and even a contact of wealthy chocolate to the profile.
A depth of richness lingers, with a contact of fragrant spice and liquorice within the lengthy end. It’s wealthy and chic, with a depth that may praise crimson meats properly, or that after-dinner cheese board — when you’ve any room for pudding.
Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon Pinot Noir Le Village 2019£20
Le Village Pinot Noir is produced from high-quality, hand-picked natural grapes, that are good for producing a superb pinot noir. The grapes are cultivated at a excessive altitude, benefiting from each low nighttime temperatures and loads of heat daytime sunshine, so the sluggish ripening of the grapes creates a well-balanced wine.
To make sure the grapes retain their freshness, 60% of the wines have been aged at a low temperature in stainless-steel for 9 months, whereas the remaining 40% of the mix was aged in 3-4-year-old barrels for six months, including complexity to the completed bottle.
When you uncork the bottle, the crimson berries and floral notes waft as much as greet you with a heat that encourages you to pour. The pleasant crimson color of this pinot noir displays the vibrancy of its character properly, and because it hits the palate, the freshness of the darkish cherries and berries is elevated by peppery spice and liquorice root earlier than the lengthy, elegant, barely earth end. It’s the good accompaniment for Boxing Day leftovers or a bowl of flavour-filled pasta on a cold winter night.
Samantha gave up a background in worldwide enterprise to focus on travelling and journey. As blissful Overlanding as she is stress-free in five-star luxurious, Sam could make a memorable expertise out of any scenario, and normally does. Married in Las Vegas, she enjoys bourbon and avoids planning.
