Varied Festive Vino

Matra Mountain Pinot Grigio 2010 - This goes down for me as the benchmark for good value Pinot Grigio. The apple and pear flavours shine through so strongly you can imagine identifying them without reading the label. Well worth a try, and at £6 beats all the PGs I've tried so far, most of which were not so cheap.
Casillero del Diablo Merlot 2010 - You've seen Casillero for sale for sure, it's everywhere. Often that would mean it would be bad, as mass produced = shite. That's not totally true here, it's not outstanding value but is a label which produces reliably decent wines at below and upto the £10 mark. Worth a punt if nothing else takes your fancy. This one was all blackcurranty goodness, strong for a Merlot.

Barolo Vendemmia 2007, Brazin Old Vine Zinfandel and a bonsai tree. Of the three, drinking the tree was probably the most appalling decision. Barolo, made from the Nebbiolo grape, makes other powerful rich wines seem like tiny little children trying to climb up your legs, while the bully Barolo smashes your face in with a coal shovel. Not for the weak. Definitely for those who are convinced deep and devastating wines are for them. Overall however, I preferred the Zinfandel, which was rich and powerful but with a little give. I'm not sure it quite justified the price tag though. Both Waitrose.

Two dessert wines here, both from Sainte-Croix-du-Mont in Bordeux. Somehow, they are completely different. The Chateau Loubens 1997 is practically the colour of gold, rich beyond belief for a wine, and pairs perfectly with exceptionally sweet desserts and salty cheeses. The Chateau La Rame 2009 was far drier and less singularly powerful, and although the colour would be exciting compared with any other white, next to the 1997 it looked weak and pale - the picture does this no justice. I can't say I enjoyed it less though, and it went better with more moderate cheeses and desserts.

I would recommend trying a dessert wine if you haven't - it's an odd experience even if you decide it's not for you. Obviously, don't have it without food, or it'll be like drinking milkshake syrup but without the sugar high which is the main reason for doing so. Unless it's for a bet.

And so to the end of the festival of festive fun-fest, with a Sancerre and a Pouilly-Fuissé. It's Sauvignon Blanc versus Chardonnay and neither comes out the winner.  Sancerre has always been a personal favourite, but both are really interesting examples of their grape and I don't have the wine knowledge to explain how so er... balls.