All I want for Christmas is?

Well I’m hoping for a new camera to try to make better photos for the blog and also maybe a copy of Oz Clarke’s ‘The History Of Wine In 100 Bottles’ but obviously the focus here is on wine itself.

Christmas colours are red and white so I shall look forward to great red and white wines. So top of my list are Flambadou 2013 and 2014, perhaps the best wine in both vintages from Mas Coutelou. Pure Carignan and stunning.

Snow Balls will be my white wine, appropriate for the time of year. Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Gris, Maccabeu and Muscat grapes, very dry, full of white fruit flavours and incredibly moreish.

And of course there is a sparkling element to the season, glitter and tinsel so:

 More Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Grenache which are complanted in La Garrigue vineyard and made into a sparkling wine with a degree of sweetness, Bibonade is a lovely aperitif, my wife’s favourite!

Meanwhile there’s lots of games and fun. Blind tasting for example:

 Well last night Iain, my brother in law, served up a Romanian red made from the Negru De Dragasani grape – I’d love to be able to say that I identified it immediately but as I’d never heard of it before! It was actually good, very spicy and refreshing.

So my wishes are simple. For Jeff, lots of rest and sunshine as he holidays with his sister Catherine in Guadeloupe. For Puimisson and the Languedoc lots of rain as there has been so little for months and water levels are falling fast. For Icare, lots of treats, postmen to chase and mud to roll in.

 For you kind people who take the trouble to read my blog I wish you nothing but the very best; peace happiness and health. It has given me so much pleasure to hear from you and know that my love of wine, the Languedoc and learning are shared by you in the 106 countries from which you come. Thank you so much and a very happy Christmas.