NEWSLETTER XII MMXVIII
As the Winter Solstice approaches all our minds are brightened by planning a few days of extravagance at the end of the month. For many the revelry starts early in December (or before) and we see this at 40 Maltby Street—old friends reuniting, colleagues letting their hair down and a general sense of goodwill to all men. Working in a restaurant, often right up to Christmas Day and seeing the run up to the big day in all its glory gives us perhaps too much time to plan our own revels. Every year we start with a notion to balance this extravagance with a pinch of restraint but this remains unachieved. Here are a few ideas from us to help keep your own festivities suitably festive.
CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS AT 40 MALTBY STREET
Wednesday 19th 5.30pm – 10pm
Thursday 20th 5.30pm – 10pm
Friday 21st 12.30pm – 2.30pm & 5.30 – 10pm
Saturday 22nd 11am – 5pm
The kitchen has been more heated than usual with discussion of the Christmas menu this year. We won't be giving any hints this time, so you'll have to pop in and see the menu for yourselves.
BUYING WINE
This will be your last chance to try and buy wines for Christmas and New Year as we will not be opening our doors again until dinner on Friday 4th January 2019. Home delivery is available as always and the deadline for this is Wednesday 19th December. There is a 10% discount on 6 or more bottles.
SEASONAL BOX
Give the gift of wine this Christmas (or treat yourself) by subscribing to our seasonal wine selection. Each quarter we select six bottles that are tasting suitably wonderful and fitting for the season be they new arrivals or wines we have squirelled away for months. You will find our Winter selection below, which will include a few choice bottles for the Christmas table.
ONE SEASON – £130
TWO SEASONS – £260
FOUR SEASONS – £500
Email or call us at our warehouse to subscribe.
020 7237 9247
SEASONAL BOX - WINTER 2018
FIZZ
Domaine Les Hautes Terres, Joséphine 2016
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.
Costadilà, 280slm 2017
This is one of the last wines made by Ernesto Cattel of Costadilà in the Veneto who sadly died this summer. It is a truly wondrous example of his style and skill. A blend of Glera, Bianchetta and Verdiso, this sees a 20 day maceration on the skins before being refermented in the bottle with juice saved from the same vintage. The result is lean and salty with a fruity texture which is extremely refreshing.
WHITE
Jérôme Jouret, La Chasse aux Papillons 2016
Jérôme makes astonishingly clean and expressive wines in the Ardèche and this is no exception. It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc that sees long and slow fermentation before ageing in old barrels on its lees. It has enough texture and warmth to see you through these winter months, but also a freshness that makes it very drinkable.
Cà de Noci, Notte di Luna 2015
A blend of Spergola, Malvasia and Moscato from the Masini brothers in Reggio-Emilia, this elegant skin maceration wine is one of the most complex and enjoyable we have ever had from them. Equal parts grippy, floral and saline, it is all to easy too find yourself with an empty glass...or bottle.
RED
Domaine Bobinet, Ruben 2016
Sebastien and Emiline make very pure Cabernet Franc in Saumur Champigny. This is from one of their older plots and while light and fresh, it has a density and deep green tannin that makes it feel much more complex and grown up than it has any right being.
Le Petit Domaine, Mégalodon 2015
Aurélien Petit just came to visit us and brought along this new cuvée of his which has spent a couple of years in his cellar finding itself. Mainly Syrah with some Mourvèdre, it has the inky depth that we love about the latter, with the spice and savoury notes of the former. This is a great bottle to open and see how it evolves over a long meal.
FROM THE KITCHEN
Whatever may be gracing your table at Christmas one element seems constant - gravy. So this year we thought we should talk a little about making stock. While it is relatively simple and can be done without hassle there are a few elements that will leave you with a far superior gravy if followed.
This can all be done well in advance of the big day when stove and fridge space will be at a minimum. The first thing to do is to ask your butcher for bones, and as turkey and goose will be the centrepiece for most of us it is best to ask for a few extra chicken carcasses. Spend some time breaking them down into smaller pieces so you can maximise surface area and roast them all in a hot oven, turning a few times, until browned all over. Move the caramelised bones into a pot and use some water to free all the bits from the roasting pan. Combine this with the bones and add just enough water to cover. The more bones and less water you use, the more concentrated the stock will be. If you wish to add some aromatics and vegetables it's best not to add too many (as this will make the stock taste strongly of them rather than the meat) and to add them towards the end of the cooking in order to preserve their freshness. Bring this to a simmer and turn down as low as possible. Leave this for a good few hours, skimming the surface with a ladle intermittently, until you have a dark and heady stock. This is always a good thing to have around so if you have space then make lots. Just a small amount of intense broth is a supreme reviver and fortifier and can be the base of soups and risotto to help use up leftovers.
Once you have roasted your Christmas Beast and it is resting, deglaze the pan with some Madeira if you have it. Pour in just enough stock and the juices that have come off the Beast, then reduce or thicken, whichever you prefer.
Remember to warm your gravy boat.
OUR PICKS FOR CHRISTMAS
FIZZ
Cà de Noci, defratelli.13 2013
Another exemplary sparkling wine from the Masini brothers—100% Spergola that is macerated on the skins for a few days and refermented in the bottle. This is at once rich, dark and yet with a taught refreshing edge that leaves you with a clean finish.
WHITE
Marie and Vincent Tricot, Rasséréné 2015
This rather peculiar wine from the Tricot in Auvergne is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay that is harvested later than other plots. This vintage some of the vines had been botrytised, which results in a wine that is full of the ghost of sweetness and a smokey, savoury body that is well suited to the Christmas table.
RED
Philippe Jambon, Leynes 2012
We get so few of the wines made from Philippe's own vines that it is rare for them to appear here, but we have been struck by the current release that they have been on our minds since their arrival. A blend of Gamay from his three plots (Ganivets, Batailles and Balmont), the grapes are macerated as whole bunches for a long and slow fermentation before going into old barrels for five years. A vivid combination of Philippe's characteristic acidity and a richness imparted by the late harvest and time in barrel.
SWEET
La Sorga, Béa...titube 2011
Antony Tortul shows us once again that with time and patience he can create wonders. This is 100% Muscat à Petits Grains from Minervois that is macerated as whole bunches for four days before spending four years in large old barrels. The sweetness here presents as positively tropical before giving way to a fresh mineral acidity. The perfect sip before bed on Christmas.
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