Well it`s looking a lot like Christmas already, with a real festive spirit in the air and less of the ice-bound complications of last year.
Since our Wine Fair on 17th November our annual top-10 Christmas Gift list has more or less taken on a life of its own, with reactions and strong recommendations from customers and staff making it clear what the big favourites are going to be. So here they are in no particular order:
Bubbly - always start with bubbly. Borgo Magredo Prosecco Frizzante NV is always hugely popular and at a Festive Deal price of €9.55 it's a no-brainer.
Bosquet des Papes Cuvée Tradition Châteauneuf du Pape Magnum (1.5 litre) 2009. Double-sized luxury red. ‘Outstanding....full-bodied, generous, corpulent, and a sexy, complex, relatively evolved Châteauneuf du Pape to drink over the next 8-10 years.' Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, October 2011. Need we say more? Ideal for the big group of wine-lovers coming over for the turkey dinner. Limited stock available. €69.95 per bottle (€59.95 in a mixed case).
Riedel Vinum XL glasses + Gift. Buy a pair of the giant XL lead crystal Cabernet Sauvignon glasses and get a pair of their dainty stemless white wine glasses free. Total price €60.
Joy to the World Hamper. A giant hamper with 9 lovely bottles and tons of Irish artisan foods, for €260. Check it out at http://www.cases.ie/12775%20Cases%20Xmas%20Hamper%20Brochure.pdf along with our many other hamper options.
Domaine des Anges Séraphin Vieilles Vignes Ventoux AC 2009 - Gerry's choice from the 120 wines open at our Wine Fair. 100% Grenache, Ger describes it as rich, smooth, complex. Wonderful red from the Rhone Valley's Irish-owned vineyard. €19.95 (€17.95)
Ard Bia Jams and Chutneys - Claire's choice from the Hampers counter. Lovely artisan jams and marmalades at €4.95 and chutneys at €5.95.
Frank Pott's Langhorne Creek Red, Australia 2008 - Kevin's choice from the Wine Fair. A luxurious Bordeaux-style blend from the family-owned Bleasdale Vineyards outside Adelaide. A rich, complex red made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Bursting with blackberry, chocolate and violet character. And it's on deal! Reduced from a sampler bottle price of €24.95 to €18.00.
Château Bauduc Bordeaux Blanc 2010 - this is my somewhat surprising choice from the Wine Fair tastings. Surprising to me that is. I tasted it on the night and it was excellent. I brought the opened bottle up to Roscommon on the Saturday evening and it was even better. Initially excellently fresh, zesty, lip-smacking Sauvignon Blanc, it developed lovely rich, luscious fruity notes and I couldn't believe it didn't have some Semillon in it to explain that wonderful richness. In any case it's a cracker that improves with time open rather than going all bitter and acidic like many Sauvignons. And it's on deal for Christmas, reduced from €15.95 Sampler Bottle price to €10.95.
Christmas Beers Case - All hail Ireland's craft brewers! All of a sudden they are up and running and producing lovely everyday bottled beers and extraordinary seasonal brews. Here are two, plus a German classic in a mixed case. Dungarvan Brewing Co coffee & oatmeal stout, A Winter's Ale from Eight Degrees Brewing in Mitchelstown and Erdinger Schneeweisse Weissbier. 4 bottles of each in a mixed case for €29.95.
Gift Voucher - how easy can it get for the friend or relation of a wine buff? We can issue a voucher for any value and the recipient can redeem it fully or partially - we will issue a new voucher for the balance if they don't decide to spend it all first time around.
Oh, and while they're not in the Top-10, the limited edition VacuVin Christmas Crowd glass markers make a lovely stocking filler for the wine buff in your life. A set of 12 Christmas shapes that stick on glasses so you can tell which one is yours at a party without comparing lipstick.... €2.95 per pack. I didn't think you could get even a stocking filler for that price nowadays!
Christmas wine updates to follow - email us back if you'd like any advice on choosing wines for those epic Christmas meals.
Peter