5 Ways to Drink Smart

If you fancy being more adventurous with your wine choices this year, follow our short guide to getting the most out of our January Sale wines. These 5 simple rules will soon have you drinking outside the box.

Try a new country – how about Lebanon? – The wines here are fresh, modern and assertive. Ixsir combine the traditional winemaking expertise of consultant Hubert de Boüard from world famous Bordeaux Château Angélus, with an ultra modern subterranean winery, voted as one of the world’s greenest buildings by CNN.  Their ‘Altitudes’ range is named after the exceptional high altitude vineyards which help to deliver cool, pristine, unoaked whites and reds, whereas their ‘Grande Réserve’ wines are powerful, rich and barrel-aged.

Re-think an old country – try Portugal – it’s not just about Port; the reds, whites and rosés are fabulous value and packed full of flavour. Winemakers like those at Ribafreixo are paving the way for modern, new-wave Portugal. Located in the heart of the Alentejo region, the area of Vidigueira has a unique climate, with cooling mountain air and mineral-rich soils. The indigenous Antão Vaz grape is one of Portugal’s best-kept secrets – offering a structured, perfumed, tangerine peel character with notable minerality.

Re-assess a classic – It definitely time to re-assess Sherry - The dry sherry craze in the capital is less of a retro trend and more about discovering a brand new flavour – it also helps that it’s brilliant with tapas.  Since 1781, the winemakers at Sanchez Romate have become pastmasters at creating rich, complex, well-aged wines like this bone-dry Amontillado.  The hazelnut and bitter almond flavours are an essential match with mountain air-dried hams, bringing out the sweet and salty notes in both the wine and the meat.

Challenge your assumptions - Think you know Riesling?  The underdog is back - helped by interest from winemakers in places like Australia and New Zealand.  German Riesling still struggles with its image - and labels with long, unpronounceable names don’t help. But this can be an advantage for wine lovers; the low prices commanded for wines (which were famously once more expensive than the Grand Crus of Bordeaux), mean bargains galore. Forget trying to decipher the wine label of Reichsrat Von Buhl Erste Lage Deidesheimer Mäushöhle 2013 - just relax in the knowledge that this is a top class dry white wine with incredible refreshing lime acidity and delicate notes of dried flowers.

Try a new grape – glass of Braucol anyone?  Don’t be afraid to step into the unknown - bargains lurk where others fear to tread. Braucol is an obscure grape variety, indigenous to South West France. If you like lighter bodied reds like Beaujolais and Pinot Noir then this is the variety for you. It is a great choice for squirreling away for a couple of months until the daffodils peek through, heralding the start of spring. The ripe, velvety texture and uplifting perfume of blackberry and plum make this an ideal wine to serve lightly chilled, alongside a platter of cheese and charcuterie.

These 5 rules will help you start to drink smart – but you don’t have to go it alone: our wine experts are always on hand to help you pick out something new and interesting.