With two small boys there is rather a lot of excitement and activity with the lead up to Christmas in the Strutt household. Christmas can be a huge amount of work and rather exhausting but when you have young children who think that Father Christmas parks his sleigh on the roof and climbs down the chimney it really does make it a lot of fun. Last year we left out a couple of mince pies and a glass of claret, I was rather excited when I noticed that the mince pies were gone and then I noticed the dog was looking rather sheepish.
As far as Christmas drinking, if I was at home I think I might crack a magnum of 1998 Clos de Papes Paul Avril, this I’m sure would go down a treat. However, this year we are staying with my in laws, so the drinking line up is not totally in my hands but I dare say I will have a healthy input. Surprisingly enough, there is still some champagne left over from our wedding, I wont say how long ago it was, or which wine Merchants house champagne it was but it is still seriously delicious not quite as lively as it was but it does show that good champagne will last. For the reds, I will have to hunt around his cellar but I pretty much know exactly what he has, as I sold it to him in the first place, I therefore think some Burgundy and I know he has some magnums of 1996 Pommard 1er Cru Pezeroles, Domaine Louis Boillot which I think will be fantastic for Christmas lunch.
Another wine that I might add to the party is 1996 Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste, most of the 1996s at this level have at last started to drink which is great news but there is certainly no rush, I had a bottle of this the other day and it was delicious.