Over the last few years wine consumption in the Randall house at Christmas has dwindled to a mere trickle. Last year’s paltry effort so traumatised me that I made a promise to up the quality in 2008 in an effort to make myself feel better.
The reason for this sad state of affairs is that, as well as a teetotal mother, my aged parents-in-law no longer drink quite the quantity they used to due to popping more pills per day than are consumed in a night at the Ministry of Sound! Now, before I get struck off their Christmas present list I must inform you that this pharmaceutical frenzy is to counter a multitude of ailments associated with being 92 and a little younger for my mother in law!
If ever you need reassurance of the benefits of drinking red wine each day with your meals then my father in law’s longevity is living proof. Even hiding in the Cretan mountains during the war, helping the resistance, he managed to have wine each day courtesy of his local minders.
On to the wines…..
Needless to say we will start my tucking in to some of the Goedhuis house Champagne Georges Gardet NV Brut Special which never fails to impress. For white this year we will be indulging in some Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Billaud-Simon 2004.
The wine I am really looking forward to trying is the Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru Domaine des Lambrays 1999. After our recent Burghound dinner I tasted some of the left-over wines at an office lunch the following day and was blown away by this wine. Being a relative novice to the delights of Burgundy it was fascinating to try a selection of such wines and I will certainly be perusing our 2007 Burgundy offer in January with renewed enthusiasm.
Happy Christmas to one and all and let us hope that our friend Mr Darling refrains from penalising us wine drinkers too much next year!