Wine: Cabernet Franc Reserve
Winemaker: Barboursville
Vintage: 2013
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Price: £30
Buy Now: From GP Brands

Virginian Wine is certainly not something we come across often in the UK, in fact very few people even know that Virginia produces wine - but they should. It may not have the gleaming trophy name of Sonoma and Napa, but the various wine regions throughout Virginia are producing some outstanding wines, take this beauty for example.

The nose is flooding and oozing with dark berry brambles. There’s blackcurrant, dark cherry and ripe black plum bound together with a sweet freshness on the nose, a little fresh grass and a slight toffee. Top marks for expressing some key characteristics on the smell which continue to evolve as the wine opens up.

Upon taste you’re presented with a plethora of fresh meadow berries, ripe for picking with a lovely finesse. Dark brambles, black cherry and a fresh blackberry licorice hit the mid-palate with slight tannins reaching the back of the tongue. There’s a little cedar oak element that works well alongside the freshness to cover the entirety of the palate. The tannins kick in briefly at the very end, a slight coating on the tongue as the finale of the experience.

In summary, there’s a lot to be said for Virginian wines and more effort should be made to locate and explore them. Make it your mission in 2017 to try something you’d never otherwise have thought to experience.

Wine: 1er Cru Classe Sauternes
Winemaker: La Tour Blanche
Vintage: 2007
Variety: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle
Price: £30

A beautiful golden hue shines through the glass, glimmering in the light with shimmers as it catches the sun. The colour is a tribute to this incredible region that I've been fortunate enough to spend a good amount of time in this year, visiting some incredible producers, La Tour Blanche being one of them.

The nose gives you immediate notes of fresh straw and hay with a vibrant honey oozing from the glass. Light notes of honeydew melon and pineapple draw from the background before being countered out by a sweet lychee and raisin finish that lingers.

On the palate you are immediately greeted with that fresh agave honey, appeasingly fresh as it hits the front and middle of the tongue. Light tropical notes come to light on the mid-palate as that musky sweet apricot glaze we have come to associate with Sauternes so well makes its presence known. This is a delightful example of one of the most quality winemaking regions in the world that deserves the reputation it has gained. A stunning wine that has so much to offer and should be enjoyed at all times of the year, not just Christmas.

and uplifting nose, oozing with glazed honey,