Nigel Lelew on Wine

Hello Mark ... so it's nearly Christmas and that means that there's a lot of people who will be wondering what's a good wine to go with Christmas lunch ... and I've got just the wines to recommend to you today ... and hey ... what about giving people something a little bit different this Christmas ... something a little bit out of the ordinary to enjoy ... and while you're doing it smile as well ... a genuine smile goes a long way ... there's far too little smiling around ... and its free as well ... so ... next time you're maybe in a busy supermarket checkout queue with a whole heap of wine to buy ... take some time to get to know the other people around you ... you'll be surprised what a smile and a kind word can do ... give it a go! You'll be amazed ... I have been over the last few weeks ... that's the end of my thought for today ... let's get on with trying a few wines to go with the Christmas lunch shall we Mark ... but remember ... smile!

• Wines at Christmas

OK ... so the turkey has been stuffed ... all the potatoes and vegetables have been prepared ... the pudding is steaming away ... but what about the wine? Well ... don't worry ... just listen for the next few minutes and I'll try and help.

So people are starting to gather before lunch and what better way to start the day than with a Bucks Fizz ... sparkling wine and orange juice ... its refreshing and it's gets the day off with a bit of a zing too! ... and the sound of the cork popping on the fizz is a mark of celebration ... so make the most of it.

Now a lot of people may think that they will need some of the very best Champagne for Bucks Fizz ... well think again ... that's not the important bit ... the real important bit is to have the best orange juice that you can ... so start the day with a real zing and get some brilliant orange juice and then pour some of the sparkling wine in ... as I say not the best Champagne ... try and Australian fizz or maybe a Spanish Cava ... the taste depends on the orange juice ... get some freshly squeezed juice and enjoy the start of the day.

OK so that's the day started ... now lets look at the lunch and wines to go with it ... people will always start to think about a white wine traditionally with Christmas lunch ... and white is good ... but it does depend on how many flavours you have in the food ... just think about the herbs and spices in things like stuffing and the rich gravy and the sausages and bacon. If you're going to have a light meal then white is fine ... and if you're going to have a starter ... and a lot of starters at Christmas will be fish ... then look for a white wine that's not got a huge amount of oak ... oak will just smother the flavours ... look for something that's fresh and clean.

OK, I have suggested that a white wine is good if you're having a lighter meal ... without the sausages bacon and stuffing ... so what about if you are having all the trimmings ... well it really is matching the flavours of the wine to the flavours of the food ... and that's where a spicy red comes in ... don't put your hands up in horror at the mention of a red! Think about the flavours in the stuffing Mark ... and in those sausages and bacon ... and the gravy maybe too ... you're looking for a wine with some body and some spice to match the flavours of the food ... a red from the Rhone valley maybe or one of my favourites an Australian Shiraz ... or try something a little more unusual like a South American Malbec ... warm red ripe fruit with peppery spice and a length that will go on and on ... so my tip is for a spicey red to go with the main Christmas meal ... yes put a white on the table too ... so people can have a choice ... but steer them towards the red ... they will really love the combination of spice in the food and in the wine.

Pudding is always a difficult one ... and not everyone wants or thinks about having a wine with the pud ... Christmas is special so why not bring out a bottle of sweet desert wine ... there's a few offerings around that are labelled Christmas Pudding wine ... but why not try something like a Madeira ... the toffee apple and caramel tastes in the wine go so well with the fruit and nuts in the pudding ... and people will think that it's something a little special to have a desert wine ... after all Christmas is special.

Dec. 17, 2000