As Christmas approaches, it’s nice to round off a good meal with a glass of something sweet. Traditionally you’d expect to have a glass of Port or a dessert wine such as Tokay (Hungarian) or Sauternes (French) – preferably in front of a fire.
However there are some great varieties from Australia and New Zealand. De Bortoli in South Australia has produced ‘Old Boys 21’, which is described as ‘barrel aged tawny’. To all intents and purposes this is a sort of Port, although for legal reasons the word ‘Port’ does not appear anywhere on the bottle.
Tawny port is aged in small casks. So it tends to oxidise more than the ruby port. This gives it a flavour of dried fruit – figs, raisins and lots of spice. It’s an ideal accompaniment for apple or pear tart or caramel. Old Boys 21 has these characteristics. It positively bursts with flavour. I really enjoyed it, although I’m a bit of a traditionalist and would probably want to buy a genuine bottle of Port, simply because it has a bit of a cachet and everyone will know what to expect.
Ned Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2014 is from the wine growing area of Marlborough in New Zealand. The word ‘noble’ suggests that it has been allowed to stay on the vine until affected by fungal ‘noble rot’ which results in a sweeter more intense wine. This is lovely: full of flavours of tropical fruit – lychees and passion fruit. It’s a bit syrupy, so you wouldn’t want to drink more than a couple of glasses, but it’s just the thing for a small drink after dinner. Alternately, keep a bottle out at Christmas and give a glass with a biscuit or a slice of cake. It’s a treat and reasonably priced.
De Bortoli Old Boys 21, 50cl, Oddbins £22
The Ned Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2014, 37.5cl, Waitrose or Majestic £12.99
More thoughts on food and wine are available on Jack’s food blog
