With the festive period almost upon us, we're all looking for ways to add a little bit of 'va va voom' to the usual proceedings; so I've decided to come up with my top three wines to pair with one of the most iconic Christmas desserts: chocolate yuletide log! Generally when pairing any wine with a dessert, a simple rule of thumb is to ensure the wine is as sweet, or sweeter than the dessert; a healthy level of acidity is also a very good thing. I think I've nailed this years' choices, I hope you agree!
First up on the list is the Wine Society's Exhibition Sauternes 2013. Not only does this offer great value for money, it is a genuinely quality wine. Uber sweet, yet possessing the linear acidity we're looking for to help tame the sweetness and temper the richness of our yuletide log, the perfect match! Wonderful white stone fruit and subtle tropical nuances, with an elegant nutty, butterscotch oak influence. At this price point, even if you scoured Bordeaux in it's entirety, you won't find a much better example.
Best served at 10-12'c and allow to warm slightly in the glass. Once opened keep refrigerated and consume within 5 days.
Price - £10.50
Buy now from The Wine Society
My second choice is Marks & Spencer's Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos; Tokaji isn't as well known as many other dessert or fortified wines, but there's absolutely no valid reason for that, pretty much every Tokaji I've ever had, I've thoroughly enjoyed. This stunning example is a rich, opulent wine, dark golden in colour, with alluring honeyed and floral aromas and an incredibly diverse palate; tropical flavours are beautifully balanced against some vibrant citrus, yielding to a persistent nutty finish. Elegance personified.
Best served at 12'c. Once opened keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days.
Price - £24.00
Buy now from Marks & Spencer
Last but not least, is the exquisite Elysium Black Muscat made by the genius that is Andrew Quady. I'm kind of bucking the trend on sweetness here, as it doesn't quite 'fit the bill' so much as my other two previous choices do, although there's just about enough to match the infamous yuletide log, but it's just such an elegant wine, with a perfect crisp acidity, so it had to be included. Floral, perfumed, with rich syrupy red fruit; incredibly unctuous and decadent.
Best served at 12-14'c. Once opened keep refrigerated and consume within 5 days.
Price - £11.99
Buy now from Majestic