with LoveWine

Celebrate

Chris recommends...

Vazart Cocquart Brut Reserve Grand Cru

‘Blancs de Blancs - £31.95

Christmas is always a celebration, so Champagne is a great way to start the day on the right foot. I like to drink Champagnes of smaller growers, such as Vazart, as they can offer a better quality-to-value ratio than many of the traditional 'Grand Marque' houses. Every resource in the winery goes into making the best quality wine they can; no colossal marketing budget here! This Champagne is a Blanc de Blanc, made from only white grapes, 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Grand Cru vineyards of Chouilly. It has fine light bubbles, a fresh and fruity flavour, and great minerality, producing an elegant finish—pure class.

Will recommends...

East London Liquor Co. Single Malt Whisky - £64.95

An independent distillery in the East End of London, one that makes quality-focused, approachable spirits that have character and a sense of place... not easy to do when you are talking about London Whisky! This one's made to be drunk any way you want to: neat, on the rocks, or slammed into your favourite cocktail.

Nico recommends...

Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils 1er Cru

Santenay Gravieres Rouge 2019 - £33.50

Call me when it's time to celebrate I am the party maker. I will also bring the most joyful juices to pump up the adrenaline to the max. My call for this time will be Burgundy. I know a French guy recommending French wine, but I'm always open to a bottle of good wine, regardless of its origin! This Santenay is a true expression of the terroir and is beautifully balanced. A silky texture lifts the aromas of crushed blackberries. An excellent palate experience that you can share or enjoy (No judgement on the last part).

Kit recommends..

Bosman Generation VIII Chenin Blanc & Merlot - £8.79 - Xmas Offer £7.00.

A good party wine is one of the hardest things to find. How do you keep everyone happy without spending half the budget on the drinks?! Well, that’s where Bosman come in. Their Generation VIII range ticks all the boxes; they taste great, are made by a family business with some serious ethical credibility, and come in at just £7 this Christmas! The Chenin Blanc is a classic fruity, fresh South African crowdpleaser, and the Merlot is full of all the plummy goodness you could ask for.

Kristina recommends..

Minimalist Wines, Experimental Syrah, Elgin, South Africa £14.95

Sam Lambson’s love and respect for coolclimate Syrah is eloquently displayed in this elegant expression of the grape from their three hectare block encompassing three soil types and clones. This fresh, unoaked Syrah is a flag bearer of their high expectations as the vineyard gets more love and attention. Lifted by violet fragrance, with loads of fresh, juicy fruit, a long and delicate finish with classical peppery note, and just the right amount of tannic structure. This is a delicious Syrah that is just loveable.

Wes recommends...

Corison, Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Napa Valley, USA £95.50

Your guests will be coming back for more if you pull the cork on this one! Cathy Corison is undoubtedly one of the most influential winemakers in Napa Valley. With a hands-off approach to winemaking, she lets the wine do all the talking. This winery has a well-deserved reputation for producing some of the best cabernet sauvignons representing the heart of the iconic Napa Valley. The wine shows aromas of fruity plum, cassis, savoury tobacco, and leather. Corison has a concentrated palate and spicy finish. The wine is ready to drink now but will still be a force to be reckoned with five years from now.

On this issue’s theme of ‘star’, we threw around some ideas of star-related food thoughts; Maybe we should write about Jersey’s Michelin-star restaurant - the fantastic Bohemia, but they’re consistently excellent. Maybe we could try and compare five-star meals, or do a Tripadvisor's-best roundup. Instead, we went down the road of finding the worst-rated, lowest-star restaurant in Jersey and rated it using the Michelin Guide...