It's December!
Christmas is all about the family. Relatives you haven't seen in months, some you've never met, all are welcome for the festivities. Maybe you're the lucky one providing all the Christmas cheer with a huge party? Perhaps you're the one travelling many miles across the country to reconnect with your loved ones?
Hopefully, yours is a perfectly happy family, all sharing stories, presents, food & drinks around the spectacularly decorated tree. Baubles, tinsel and sparkling lights from top to bottom make the house a home. Perhaps the Santa's sleigh and reindeer on the roof are a touch too much, but you don't mind what the neighbours think. It's Christmas!
On the other hand, family ties might not be all they could be and relationships are perhaps a little dysfunctional, shall we say?
Surely not as bad as the mysterious "Addams" family? Your friends from America have mentioned them and their strange behaviour. If you personally know them, you'll run screaming when "Uncle Fester" arrives clutching gifts which are still trying to escape from their wrapping! No matter the number of knots tied, something is going to break out.
Any loose tentacles will probably be from the black Kraken. It's a tough beast to keep under control.
Try flaming your pudding with rum for an extra kick, or add some to your Christmas cake instead of brandy.
On the other hand, "Wednesday", the average teenager, will be glued to her phone, posting a monstrous Goth video on TikTok. Foregoing her trusty typewriter for 21st century technology, you might get an emoji in an email, but she'll leave any real thank you note to be written, by hand, by "Thing".
Useful to have, an extra steadying hand... pulling a cork from a bottle... holding your wine glass and plate whilst eating the vol-au-vents...
Speaking of wine, oddly enough in a wine blog, now's the time to think about what you really want this Christmas. The extremely efficient ones among you will already have NEXT year's gifts worked out. Who's getting the Prosecco or Champagne? What about the wines to go with the turkey? Can you even find a turkey this year? No eggs either! What to do? How about booking a place for a family Christmas dinner at your local pub or restaurant? Frazier's know a good few places you could try around the area... we supply many of the really good ones! Just remember to actually turn up on the day. Restaurants need your help in these difficult times. Be fair to them. [Rant over].
If you're still determined to do your own thing at home, then we're here to help with recommendations. Experience counts and Frazier's have a great deal of it, so, if like "Wednesday" you miss a happy family Christmas, let us take you through a wealth of exciting choices to make 2022 the best Christmas ever!
I'm not going to list everything here, so please do COME IN and see us instore. It's not scary (don't believe what "Wednesday" tells you about the Troll hiding in the fine wine room)... It's really a pleasant experience for all of us, both customer and retailer, to discuss enjoying great wine and food. You might like it so much that you bring some friends with you next time you visit. The more (wine) the merrier!!!
Okay, I give in, here's my selection of the moment:
FIZZ: Laurent Perrier Rosé Champagne or Nyetimber English Sparkling Blanc de Blancs 2014 (just for turning up)
FORTIFIED: Kopke 10 year Tawny Port or a Grahams Crusted Port (whenever you feel the need, or with the cheese)
WHITES: Radburnd NZ Chardonnay 2018 or Greywacke NZ Chardonnay 2016 (with roasted white meats)
REDS: Chateau Feytit Clinet Pomerol 2014 or Chateau Duhart Milon Pauillac 2010 (with roasted red meats)
SWEET: Alcyone Dessert Tannat or Hidalgo Triana 30 Year Old VORS P.X. (for Mince Pies & Christmas Pudding)
Ask me again in another 5 minutes and I'll come up with something completely different.
A very "Merry Christmas" for 2022.