Christmas Wine Review

Banrock Station Shiraz Rosé

 The complaint I have from people who don’t like Rosé is that it is too sweet. This Rosé solves that problem. It is good, refreshing and crisp Rosé . Although it has a touch of sweetness it is not overbearing. It’s a good bright colour too.
This Rosé has delicious flavours of strawberry and cherry. It has a lot of flavour and is sparkling. Top Notch.

 Waitrose £8.99        

   
 
Stone’s Ginger Wine Special Reserve is a blend of the finest quality raisins and pure ground ginger which produces a delicious, mellow warming flavour that pairs perfectly with Christmas pudding and mince pies.
 
 Stone’s Ginger Wine is not for lightweights. It is 18%, but it really is beautiful. A delicious, full-bodied ginger wine. It’s strong, a bit like a brandy. You can feel it going down. It tastes delicious alone or as a cocktail ingredient. One of my friends I tried it out on now drinks it with cola. It would also be brilliant as an ingredient in a hot toddy.

It tastes expensive but it is reasonably priced. Try it, it is one of my favourite wines. Good quality and original. Perfect for winter as it’s warming and perfect for Christmas too.
 
 Waitrose £6.99
 

Christmas In July, Why Not? Festive Wine Guide

Frost magazine took some time out from summer to celebrate Christmas, okay, to do some wine tasting in a winter wonderland. Accolade wine are revamping their wines, and even bringing out a new low alcohol range. Perfect for light weights like me.

I was privileged to try the new Banrock Light range. The Banrock Station Light Rose is only 5.5 per cent alcohol but tastes just as great. I love Rose and this just tastes good. It is only 60 calories per 125ml, so it helps with a calorie heavy Christmas (or any other time) It is reasonably priced at £5.45. It has a touch of sweetness and hints of red berry, jam, strawberry, raspberry and cherry. Yum.

Other in the Banrock Light range are Banrock Station Light Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc (a fresh wine with pear and apricot aromas), Banrock Station Pink Moscato (Melon and floral, very sweet, a great aperitif), Banrock Station Moscato (passion fruit, pineapple and tropical fruit. Good with cheese) All the Banrock Light range are £5.45. A bargain.

Banrock station have donated £2.5 million to 97 environmental projects in 13 countries, and £30k to Natural England to help preserve 2100 acres of British wildflowers, an important habitat for bees and butterflies.

Another favourite of mine is something a bit different: Stone’s Ginger Wine Special Reserve. It is a blend of the finest quality raisins and pure ground ginger, it produces a delicious, mellow warming flavour. It is perfect for Christmas, going well with mince pies and Christmas puddings. I, however, will be drinking it all year round. So yummy.

Hardy’s is the UK’s most popular brand of wine, and sponsor of Come Dine With Me. The Nottage Hill range has new packaging that will hit the shelves from September 2011. I love Hardy’s Crest Chardonnay Pinot Noir. It is a lively berry fruit tones and a crispy tangy finish. It is a very good wine for making bucks fizz.