ABOUT CONTRIBUTORS ARCHIVES LINKS CONTACT US Follow Us November 25, 2021 How to make the most of magnums this Christmas Author: Issariya Morgan Share this post Illustration by Eleanor Crow Nothing makes a statement quite like a magnum of fine wine. But beyond its magnificence, a bigger bottle also helps a fine wine to age more slowly, while offering plenty to share around the Christmas table. Below, you’ll find stories and advice to help you make the most of magnums over the festive season. MAGICAL MOMENTS For Joshua Friend, Christmas is all about creating special memories with friends and family – and magnums, he believes, are the secret ingredient that brings it all together. Christmas is coming, but for me, it can never come soon enough. It’s my favourite time of the year, all about family, friends, good food and wine. When I recommend wines for my clients to drink, I often rave about magnums at any given moment, which led to someone asking me a very simple question: why are magnums better? The first thought in everyone’s head is an obvious one: let’s face it, they are incredibly Instagrammable. But let’s briskly brush the hashtags and Insta-nonsense aside and focus on what really matters: the wine. They’re considered to age better than 75cl bottles; the greater volume within the bottle allows for a slower interaction with oxygen, leading to an arguably better wine in the long term. To give you a recent example, I recently tasted a magnum of 2014 David Moreau, Santenay, Premier Cru, Clos de Rousseau: it was singing, still incredibly fresh with great acidity and plenty of crunchy red fruit. Alongside a 75cl bottle of the same wine, the difference really showed. The smaller bottle was still bright, but more autumnal, with notes of bonfire, smoke and forest floor. Yes, it was delicious, but it showed its age in comparison. There’s a sense of awe and theatricality when you slam down a magnum in the middle of the table. Burgundy winemaker Jacques Devauges, of Clos des Lambrays, explained it to me quite well. He said that if you put down a normal-sized bottle of Clos de Lambrays, people will start to think, “Is there going to be enough to go around? Paul certainly likes to drink – he’d better not have it all!”. Whereas with a magnum, all anxiety disappears. You’re guaranteed at least your fair share of a wine you’ve been dying to taste. It brings a sense of calm. Typically, when I think of magnums, I think of special occasions. My cellar is stocked with an array of magnums, with many future Christmases in mind. The longevity of the ageing brings a sense of assurance that these wines will perform exactly as they should, when the moment to uncork them arrives. Magnums are still a bit niche. You might not have the space in your fridge or cellar – especially with the turkey taking up a whole shelf – but my advice would be to make room. Celebrations and Instagram likes aside, magnums facilitate something more special: sharing magical moments with friends. HOW TO DECANT A MAGNUM As we enter party season, Henrietta Gullifer shares some key advice for serving a fine wine magnum to your guests. This is going to be the year of the magnum. Gone are the muted, intimate festivities of last Christmas; this time, it’s all about large parties, extended family get-togethers and prolonging the festive season as much as we can. I believe a magnum is the best way to get into the celebratory mood, as well as being perfect for larger gatherings. Magnums may seem a little daunting, particularly when it comes to decanting the wine. I’m afraid that opening the bottle early won’t give you the same benefit as decanting, as the oxygen exposure is minimal. The main purpose of decanting is to aerate the wine slightly; exposing it to oxygen will soften the texture and enhance the flavour. An older wine may also need to be filtered and decanted to remove any sediment that has collected over the years as the wine ages. The physical act of pouring is more important than the shape or size of the decanter that you use – especially as many of us don’t have magnum decanters around. Any large jug should work. Ideally, I’d recommend investing in a good filter funnel. Pour slowly, keeping the bottle on its side to reduce the chances of transferring the sediment. You can serve your wine from the jug. Alternatively, you could pour the wine back into the bottle – this is known as double decanting – for a little wow factor. Bear in mind that, for this, you will need a funnel. I would also recommend rinsing out the bottle. There isn’t a strict time frame for decanting wine, but I recommend doing it a few hours before, which gives you plenty of time. COOKING FOR A CROWD Michelin-trained chef Stewart Turner is used to cooking for a crowd; he does it every day from the kitchens of No.3 St James’s Street. He imparts a few quick dinner-party wins. Large formats are always a bit of a showstopper. They’re great if you’ve got a full house or if you have a crowd coming over at Christmas – or any time, for that matter. Preparation is key: you want to enjoy the party as much as your guests. Being stuck in the kitchen all night is no fun – that I can tell you from experience! My top tip is to think about your menu carefully. Consider which dishes can be prepared in advance, like canapés that just need a quick finishing touch, or a starter that can be pre-plated. Like a magnum, a large sharing dish has a real wow factor. Think beef tomahawk with a gratin dauphinoise or a whole roast turbot. A classic wellington is always a winner, whether it be beef, venison, or vegetable. The whole thing can be done in advance – it just has to be cooked at the last minute. I recently made a salmon wellington, which was a real success. Cooking on a theme is also a great idea. For instance, a spiced, slow-cooked shoulder of lamb with couscous, flat bread and homemade hummus makes a great Levantine feast, and most of it can be prepared in advance. Shop our range of magnums here Share this post Leave a Comment Category: Miscellaneous November 24, 2021 A tale as old as France Author: Adam Holden Share this post Illustration by Eleanor Crow Champagne enjoys an unmatched reputation as the go-to celebration wine, built on centuries of festive associations. Adam Holden shines a light on the best-known historical moments which have helped to shape an iconic legacy. WINE OF KINGS For as long as it’s existed as a sparkling wine, Champagne has been inextricably linked to festivity, celebration and the grandest of occasions. Nothing ushers in a joyeux noël like hearing the unmistakable pop of that mushroom cork. Perhaps the link is as old as France itself: Clovis the 1st was baptised in the Cathedral of Reims on Christmas Day, where he was later coronated as the first king of the united Franks. Celebrations were, presumably, well-oiled with what would then have been the still wines of the region. With the addition of bubbles, these rather thin, acidic, still wines from the cold vineyards of Champagne found their raison d’être, with much of the credit going to the famous Dom Pérignon himself. His exceptional palate (which improved the quality of the wines), his skill in coaxing perfectly white wine from red grapes and his tenacity in pursuing a more stable, consistent effervescence to reduce the ever-present threat of exploding bottles, left him with a permanent spot in Champagne’s Hall of Fame. A SENSE OF THEATRE If not for Dom Pérignon, perhaps we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the luxury of Champagne’s frothing mousse. The first aristocrats to enjoy this novel, bubbly wine appreciated its liveliness almost more than the wine itself. The unpredictable expulsion of a pent-up bottle was frequently spent dousing guests for festive entertainment rather than making it anywhere near a glass – a tradition which is mercifully less common today, except among Formula 1 drivers. As if this were not theatre enough, we can further indulge an impulse for festive showmanship by reaching for the sabre. The practice of sabrage, which was favoured by Napoleon and his captains, involves running a sword along the bottle to make contact with the lip and send the collar and the cork flying as one. It certainly adds to the sense of occasion – be sure to equip all bystanders with essential eye protection or the laughter may turn to tears. Far from being reserved only for victories, Napoleon considered defeat just as good an excuse for a glass of Champagne. Louis XVI would probably relate to this sentiment, having drunk generous amounts of Champagne just before losing his head to the guillotine. ENTER THE WIDOW CLICQUOT A century later, The Widow Clicquot (of iconic label Veuve Clicquot), spared no effort in making the manufacture process for Champagne easier and more consistent. And she wasted no time in capitalising on her enthusiastic new customer base either. The Russian aristocracy greedily purchased whatever they could get their hands on, having developed a taste while occupying Reims at the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars – a fitting way to commemorate their long-sought triumph over The Great General’s imperial ambitions. Where the British consumer surely influenced the style of sparkling Champagne wines is in its dryness. The sugar levels of early sparking Champagnes were adjusted to suit the destination, but even the dry styles were generally sweet. The Russians had a taste for wines with sweetness well above that of modern-day Sauternes or Tokaji, whereas the British favoured the crisper style. The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) enjoyed the 1865 vintage unsweetened, subsequently giving dry Champagne his royal assent. Importantly, these increasingly dry wines necessitated an improvement in overall quality, given that the addition of sugar was an effective way of concealing a wine’s shortcomings. Today, despite our modern palates having adjusted to the presence of sugar in almost everything, low or zero dosage Champagnes are increasing in both number and popularity for their freshness and purity of fruit. A GRAND LEGACY The Widow Clicquot’s revolutionary process for removing the dead yeast cells which remain from the second fermentation – critically without losing too much wine or causing it to go flat – allowed Champagne to reach a far wider audience. Once the sole preserve of royalty, an increasingly affluent middle class could now access this noble delicacy. Still, its associations with aristocracy and grandeur have endured, and have us reaching for our sabres on all of our most treasured occasions. There are few better reasons to indulge a lavish impulse than gathering with loved ones on Christmas Day – still the perfect excuse for a glass of wine at breakfast. And what can compete with Champagne for early morning appeal? As Noel Coward once said “Why do I drink champagne for breakfast? Doesn’t everyone?”. Explore our selection of festive Champagne and sparkling wines here Share this post Leave a Comment Category: Miscellaneous November 22, 2021 Why Christmas calls for Champagne Author: Issariya Morgan Share this post Illustration by Eleanor Crow Champagne is perhaps the quintessential Christmas wine. Below, you’ll find a short collection of writing that captures the spirit of uncorking Champagne at Christmas – including a recipe for “Oysters Christian Dior” from our Head Chef. A MAGIC CARPET OF CHAMPAGNE For Alexandra Gray de Walden, Champagne is uniquely versatile, pairing beautifully with everything from Christmas breakfast to ripped wrapping paper and muddy wellies. What is the first sign of Christmas Day in your household? In mine, it’s that unmistakable pop; that release of lively effervescence as a caged cork escapes from the neck of a Champagne bottle, bedecked in its foil cloak. Sometimes it appears as early as 7am as the liquid accompaniment to our traditional Christmas Day breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. It signals the arrival of family, thorough relaxation and the start of a very special day. No wonder Noël Coward wittily proclaimed: “Why do I drink Champagne for breakfast? Doesn’t everyone?”. But while ante meridiem drinking may not be for everyone (apologies, Mr Coward), the joy of Champagne is its suitability for any time of day. Whether your household prefers to make an occasion of Christmas lunch or of Christmas dinner, nothing says “celebration” or “togetherness” quite as festively as a twinkling glass of Champagne. It has the unmatched ability to carry you on a magic carpet of fine mousse from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day – and beyond. And it pairs beautifully with ripped wrapping paper, The Queen’s Speech and the kicking-off of wellies after a Boxing Day hike. While Champagne facilitates the annual celebration of Christmas, it also creates its own Yuletide memories. I shall never forget a childhood Christmas spent in Moscow when numerous bottles of Bollinger were chilled in the snow in our garden for Christmas lunch, owing to a lack of space in the already bulging fridge. For superlative seasonal sipping, nothing will add a sparkle to your Christmas quite like Champagne. HOW TO MATCH YOUR CHAMPAGNE TO FOOD We tend to think of Champagne solely as an apéritif – but it pairs brilliantly with a range of dishes. Henrietta Gullifer shares a few key tips for matching Champagne to food. Champagne has a naturally high acidity caused by the early harvest and cool climate in Champagne. Not only does this enhance the wine, making it refreshing and palate-cleansing, but it also helps it pair incredibly well with anything salty or fatty, as the acidity cuts right through the richness of a dish. This lends itself to traditional pairings such as smoked salmon blinis, but it can also allow you to get a bit more creative. For example, you could serve the Champagne with the cheese course; some delicious nutty Comté pairs wonderfully with the buttery notes in a richer style of Champagne. It even goes well with deep-fried food, possibly some arancini or Spanish croquettes. Not all Champagnes are the same, of course. Younger, fruitier, non-vintage styles are great with fresher flavours, such as seafood or a zesty market salad. Vintage Champagnes tend to have a bit more weight, developing savoury flavours over time; this could allow you to explore umami flavours such as mushrooms or even meat-based dishes. If you’re looking for something different to finish your meal off, you might want to explore the demi-sec styles of Champagne. While it may be a little too light for a traditional Christmas pudding, these styles have slightly more residual sugar in them and can go perfectly with desserts such as fruit tarts or a Christmas pavlova. OYSTERS CHRISTIAN DIOR Stewart Turner, our Michelin-trained chef, has plenty of tricks up his sleeve when it comes to creating festive dishes with a special touch. Here, he shares a simple (yet appropriately decadent) recipe that’s perfect with Champagne. When it comes to food and wine, I don’t think there is a more intuitive match than Champagne and oysters. Oysters are a big Christmas special for a lot of people and this dish combines the two. It’s a classic from my days at The Connaught Hotel, mysteriously named “Oysters Christian Dior” – which is basically oysters with Champagne sabayon and the optional addition of black truffle. Ingredients (serves four) Eight oysters 50ml Champagne Two egg yolks Two tbsp whipped cream 75g baby spinach wilted in a little butter Two grams of fresh truffle – optional Two tbsp chopped chives Shuck the oysters and retain the water and the bottom shell. The tops can be discarded. Place the shells on a bed of salt on a baking tray. Strain the oyster water through a very fine sieve or muslin into a small saucepan. Add the Champagne, bring it to the boil and reduce the liquid by half. Once reduced, place the mixture in a heatproof mixing bowl with the egg yolks and sit this on top of a pan of boiling water. Continue whisking vigorously for about three minutes, or until the mixture thickens, then take it off the heat and immediately whisk in the whipped cream and chives. Fill the shells with a little wilted spinach and nestle the oysters on the top. Spoon over the sabayon mixture and place the oysters until a hot grill for two to three minutes until has a lovely golden-brown colour. Finish with the truffle (if you’re using it) and serve immediately. Explore our festive Champagne selection here Share this post Leave a Comment Category: Miscellaneous November 18, 2021 The timeless charm of Claret at Christmas Author: Issariya Morgan Share this post Illustration: Eleanor Crow Rich and warming, red Bordeaux has long been a favourite in the UK during the chilly festive season. Below, you’ll find tips and advice from our experts helping you make the most of your Christmas Claret. CHERISHED TRADITIONS In Victoria Bull’s household, the enjoyment of red Bordeaux is an undisputable part of Christmas – even if it’s the only thing everyone agrees on. Settling down to Christmas lunch is my favourite moment of the year – especially as, owing to my own thoughtful tradition, I always place myself closest to the bread sauce. Then commences the gleeful hand-rubs, the profusive compliments to the chef, and those joyful sounds made by all who have happily decided they are about to eat well above their waistline. Christmas is built on traditions; we delight in their familiarity and celebrate their perfection – and heaven help those who tamper with them (who says you can be too old for stockings?). Claret is one of these traditions. It gives a respectful nod to the past, best enjoyed in the present – and improved only by the promise of another bottle lying in wait, eager to be uncorked. For Christmas, it is perfect: a wine that deserves to be poured generously into hopeful, outstretched glasses; or, taken off to be sipped pensively in a moment of rapturous solitude. Claret’s delicate spice, firm structure and sensitive tannins beautifully complement the rich array of flavours heaving upon our tables. The inviting fresh fruit aromas instantly please us, while its savoury notes and complexity are there to thrill the more vinous. Most importantly, its moreish character powers us through our most eloquent of family debates. And if Claret ends up being the only thing we can all agree on, then long may this tradition last. HOW TO DECANT RED BORDEAUX The act of decanting Claret is crucial to the enjoyment of Clarets of certain ages. Tom Cave gives us a handy overview of which Clarets to decant, and how. In years gone by, all Bordeaux would have been decanted – if fortunate enough – by your butler in his pantry and brought through to your dining room. Hence there was little need for the wonderful array of labels on bottles we enjoy today. This is the very reason why Berry Bros. & Rudd bottlings had such a neat and concise, if plain, label: the owner never really saw the bottle. There are two main reasons to decant red Bordeaux. If it’s a young wine with robust tannins, the act of decanting allows the wine to breathe and open out. Typically, for any vintage since 2000, you might decant an hour before serving, and longer for younger wines. The other principal reason to decant is associated with older, more mature wines. Pour these gently through a funnel with gauze. This prevents any larger particles, like those from a crumbly cork (as well as finer sediment, which is best left in the bottle), from entering the decanter, and in due course, your glass. Timing very much depends on the age of the wine. For a good-grade wine from the 1990s, I would decant an hour or so before serving. For something very much older, I might decant minutes before pouring. “Double-decanting” is a handy option. This means emptying a bottle, rinsing it well with un-tainted water, and returning the wine to that same bottle. However, in my mind, the gorgeous colour of a red Bordeaux in a decanter – whether a more vivid hue or pale brick – is a wonderful sight on any table, hence the fine array of Victorian Claret jugs to be found. A final word: do check any decanter or vessel (really, it needn’t be finest crystal – any jug will do) is clean before pouring your precious wine into it. Standing the bottle up for at least 12 hours before decanting, so that any fine sediment can settle, is also sensible. Oh, and when you come to clean the decanter the following morning – perhaps a little dazed from the festive indulgence – take care not to chip it on the tap (we’ve all done it.) HOW TO MATCH RED BORDEAUX WITH FOOD Red Bordeaux pairs beautifully with many savoury dishes. Henrietta Gullifer offers a few tips for finding the perfect festive food match. Claret and Christmas go effortlessly together. For many, red Bordeaux is the ultimate winter wine: a warming, rich style that goes well with classic seasonal dishes, such as braised or roasted meats, savoury risottos and hearty stews. It’s also a celebratory wine, with some wines laid down for decades until they’re perfectly ready for the Christmas table. Red Bordeaux has a high tannin content which not only brings colour and texture, but also enables it to age for long periods of time. These can seem rough when drinking the wine on its own, but when protein binds with these tannins it softens them, bringing out flavour and creating a velvety texture. Therefore, when I’m drinking Claret, I always turn to high protein, savoury dishes. Anything from a nut roast to Christmas goose will pair well – as long as the Claret doesn’t overpower the flavours in the food. A younger, fruitier Bordeaux will go wonderfully with lighter flavours – perhaps even a meatier fish or turkey. On the other hand, a mature Claret will balance the more gamey elements of goose or roast beef. Personally, I will find a place for both styles over the festive season. This article is an excerpt from a larger collection of writing, which can be found here. Alternatively, explore our selection of Christmas Clarets here. Share this post Leave a Comment Category: Miscellaneous « Older BBR.COM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | PINTEREST © Berry Bros. & Rudd Wine Blog. Powered by WordPress and Manifest