Black Friday...?

So, Black Friday cometh. Cometh from across the pond with banners waving and all to generate an anticipated retail feeding frenzy for one day.  Just to make it absolutely clear, we at Wines of Interest will not be participating.  This is because we publish a range of discounted offers, individual price reductions and multi-buy offers at the start of the season and we stick to them until the end of December.  We believe that our customers deserve consistency.  The only reason to buy now instead of later is to avoid the potential disappointment of us having run out of the very thing you’re after!

Of course, there is every reason for retailers to make the most of the Christmas trading period (especially in a seasonal trade like ours)! But encouraging hasty impulse purchasing and discouraging customers to think through what they’re buying before parting with their hard-earned cash strikes us a form of retail trickery that we could do without.  If the only way you can get customers to spend money with you is by fooling them (or in this case rushing them) maybe you’re in the wrong line of business!

Energy companies do it with a myriad of tariffs making it almost impossible to work out whether you’re on the most suitable one.  Insurance companies do it by excluding some things in the smallprint to make their premiums seem cheaper.  The train companies array of ticket options is truly bewildering and then there are all those extra charges that the “budget” airlines like to sting you for! Even our bank has a range of different tariffs which, curiously, all produce about the same level of annual charges whichever one we choose!  You’ll notice that I haven’t even mentioned the behaviour of the supermarkets yet…!

There will be a promotion of sorts after Christmas of course.  Selling wine after Christmas is more of a challenge (especially if the Pleasure Police are out there ordering you to have a dry January) so stay tuned for those, but in the meantime click here for our current offers.

So, at Wines of Interest we’re pretty clear.  The deals and offers are available to everyone for the length of the offer.  There are no special prices on Black Friday, Blue Monday, Ruby Tuesday or Sheffield Wednesday.  Just special prices on some lines for the duration of the season.  We don’t do deals for “Brand New Customers Only”, just customers, because you’re all important.  We think this is clear, straightforward and we like it that way.  We hope you do too.

Christmas Wine Ideas...

Well then, what are you eating at Christmas?  Traditional turkey, goose, beef perhaps or venison, maybe you’re a veggie or a fish fan; you can already see that wine recommendations need to cover a lot of ground.  Oh, and what’s your budget?  We’re always happy to advise customers individually according to menu and price but, realistically, we might not get the chance, so here are a few ideas to enjoy with your seasonal feasting.

Before the meal, why not have a glass of bubbles?  If it must be Champagne avoid the big brands - the shelf price reclaims such a whack of marketing expense that they are seldom good value.  Lallier Grand Cru, Reserve Brut, Ay at £26.50, is made only from Grand Cru vineyards, showing real class and more than enough flavour to match a tray of canapés.  Super value at less than half that is Mayerling Brut, Cremant d’Alsace at £12.95, made entirely from Pinot Blanc grapes.  It is brisk and cleansing with fresh fruit - a perfect appetiser.

Fish needs care: what goes well with shellfish may not work with smoked mackerel or salmon as the oil in them clashes with the acidity of a deliberately sharp wine like Muscadet, which is perfect with mussels.  For richer and smoked fish recipes, try 2010 Macon-Solutré, Domaine Denuziller at £11.25, a smooth, dry but ripe, entirely oak-free White Burgundy, boxing above its weight.  For a crisper, zestier option go for 2010 False Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa at £7.25 with the grape’s leafy freshness and zippy palate.

If turkey is on the menu a gentler red works well if it can stand up to stuffings and sauces without overpowering the meat.  2008 Herringbone Hills Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand at £10.95 offers just the right balance of flavour with freshness, but without clobbering alcohol.  It will take on rich gravy and traditional trimmings, but won’t send you to sleep in front of the queen who, obviously, deserves your full attention.

Richer meats demand bigger wines though available space allows just one or two ideas.  So, full enough to match beef, with sufficient edge to cut through the richness of goose and with a savoury character to compliment game - it’s time to visit Italy.  2005 Malintoppo, Azienda Agricola Simonelli-Santi, Orcia, Tuscany at £12.25 comes from a valley sandwiched between Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, yet is about half the price of the Vino Nobile and one third of the price of Brunello and cracking value relatively speaking. 

If a less high-falutin’, general purpose red is wanted, consider 2009 Hacienda Lopez de Haro Roble, Rioja, Bodegas Classica.  At £6.95 it won’t break the bank and at a quality above its price it won’t let the side down.  It is bursting with soft, ripe Tempranillo fruit with just a kiss of background oak spice, it will drink beautifully with red and white meats and it is perfect for entertaining a crowd.

For pud, one grape in two variants.  For palate refreshing zip try 2010 Moscato Frizzante, Cantine Volpi, Piemonte @ £8.60, sweet and grapey with a half-sparkle and at just 5.5% abv, it won’t frighten the vicar.  So fresh, so clean.  2009 Late Harvest Muscat, Tabali Estate, Limari Valley, Chile @ £6.50 per half bottle is stickier, richer and bubble-free with barley-sugar intensity.  Both will ease down a mince pie delightfully.

Cheese is a vital part of the Christmas table and traditionally this is accompanied by a glass or two of Port.  Here is a rich, lusciously fruity, fleshy example of generosity and warmth to put with your Stilton: it is Rio Torto, Reserva, Krohn, normally £12.50 but reduced to £10.50 until December 31^st.