NEWSLETTER XII MMXVII

Festive plans are well underway here - the warehouse has been filled to the rafters with wine; the Christmas beef is hanging; and the mince pies are being filled. Across on the continent the vines are entering their rest period and the juice from autumn is well on its way to becoming wine.

CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS AT 40 MALTBY STREET

Wednesday 20th 5.30pm – 10pm
Thursday 21st 5.30pm – 10pm
Friday 22nd 12.30pm – 2.30pm & 5.30 – 10pm
Saturday 23rd 11am – 5pm

The boys in the kitchen have been busy getting festivities under way for our last week of 2017. As with previous years there will be a special menu running from Wednesday 20th to Saturday 23rd, with this year's focus being on beef - a suitably grand side of Dexter from Farmer Tom Jones. 
 

BUYING WINE

This will be your last chance to try and buy wines for Christmas and New Year as we will be opening our doors again on Saturday 6th January. Home delivery is available as always and the deadline for this is Wednesday 20th. There is a 10% discount on 6 or more bottles.

CHRISTMAS WREATHS BY BOLD OXLIP

It is almost exactly a year since we began working with Harriet Slaughter of Bold Oxlip. She has been filling our bar with the most delightful flowers and foliage to match the seasons. We can't speak for our customers but they certainly put a smile on our faces.

This Christmas Harriet is making single foliage wreaths in Scots pine and olive finished with a velvet ribbon. These are available to buy from her webshop or from General Store on Bellenden Road along with other Christmas foliage and decorations - such as mistletoe kisses. We cannot wait to have her decorate 40 Maltby Street next week.

FROM THE KITCHEN

Finding a clementine at the foot of your stocking can be one of the greatest joys of Christmas, and there is something marvellous and festive about working your way through a stack of them in front of the fire after a bout of over-indulgence. Here is a recipe that dutifully celebrates the clementine.

Mulled Clementines:

This is best to do with a larger batch of clementines as it takes some time and they keep well in jars. To begin, you will have to blanch your clementines - place them in a pot and cover with cold water, bring this to the boil and drain. Repeat this five times to ensure the overly bitter flavours of the rind are removed.

Arrange the blanched fruit in an oven proof dish so that they are all in one layer, pour over enough good red wine to cover and add some sugar - use roughly 300g per standard bottle of wine. Flavour with your preferred mulling spices, we like to use cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and star anise. Cover loosely with foil and place in an oven set to 120°C. Check on the clementines regularly and give them a few turns throughout the cooking. It usually takes up to eight hours for the fruit to be suitably soft and for the wine to have reduced to a syrup.

These mulled clementines are wonderfully versatile, we usually serve them with buttermilk pudding, but they would work equally well with vanilla ice cream. 

OUR PICKS FOR CHRISTMAS

FIZZ

Domaine Les Hautes Terres, Joséphine 2015

Gilles and Genevieve Azzam have been making wine at their domaine in the Roussillon for nearly 15 years. This Crémant de Limoux is made from 70% Chardonnay, 25% Chenin Blanc and 5% Mauzac. This is a wonderfully dry sparkler and is a definite crowd-pleaser.
 

Cà de Noci, Le Rose 2015

Alberto and Giovanni made this lightly sparkling white from their small plot of Malvasia aromatica. It is fermented in the bottle and not disgorged, so there is some sediment. The wine is distinctly perfumed and has a thoroughly appetising texture, accented by the fine bubbles.
 

WHITE

Les Deux Terres, Paulatim 2015

This is Manu and Vincent's Chardonnay from their vines in the Ardèche. The wine is aged on the lees in large old oak barrels for a year before bottling. Another crowd-pleaser - this has enough weight handle most dishes on the Christmas table, but is also drinkable enough to work as an aperitif.

Aleks Klinec, Ortodox 2006

The Klinec family makes wine in the town of Medana in Slovenia just across the border from Italy. Made only in special years, the Ortodox is a blend of Rebula Gialla, Verduzzo, Tocai Friuliano and Malvazija - the different varietals are macerated and vinified separately before blending. This is surprisingly gentle for an orange wine, rather than tannin it is full of minerality and is refreshingly saline.

RED

Michel Guignier, Bistère 2011

Farming in the hills above the town of Vauxrenard just north west of Fleurie, Michel is a true farmer and makes thrilling wines. This is from a plot around his home of 60 year old Gamay. A perfect wine to ease into your festive main course.
 

Fabio Gea, Notu Seguiva le Gocce d'Acqua 2011

This is Fabio's more classic Barbaresco from his tiny plot of Nebbiolo near Neive. It is a wine that seems truly destined to be drunk on Christmas day - it is full of fruit and spice but with enough freshness to make sure you keep refilling your glass.
 

SWEET

Pacina, La Sopresa 2010

Stefano makes his version of Vin Santo every year at Pacina, choosing the best grapes from their plot of Malvasia and Trebbiano to dry for three months before pressing and fermenting. The resulting wine is almost too drinkable - you will find a half bottle disappears very quickly.
 

Jean-Christophe Garnier, Likor 2009

JCG makes wine in the Coteaux du Layon in the Loire, a traditional sweet wine producing area, but this is the only one he produces. It is vibrant and vivacious - a fitting end to any Christmas meal.

ORDERS & DELIVERY

You can buy our wines to take away from our bar and warehouse at 40 Maltby Street.
We offer a 10% discount on cases of 6 and above, and can deliver within London and beyond. 

Call us on 020 7237 9247
OR email info@gergoviewines.com