The Durham Brewery White Stout

I had a conversation on Twitter before Christmas with Elly from The Durham Brewery about whether there was a perfect beer for Christmas pudding.

She reckoned their 9% Belgian Tripel-style Bede’s Chalice would do the job and offered to send it to me to try.

What with one thing and another I didn’t catch up with it until well after Christmas was over so can’t try out the combination. My feeling is that it’s slightly drier and more savoury than is ideal for Christmas pud - a barley wine I think would be better

I was however very taken with their White Stout which I tried at the same time. As they explain on the label “Before porter brewers commandeered stout to mean a strong porter, a stout beer was a strong beer. It did not have to be black. We have recreated the style using modern hops and a full malt body.”

I find it a big, savoury brew, well-suited to meat (they recommend it with roast lamb with garlic and rosemary), shepherd's pie or cheddar cheese. It’s not as sweet or aromatic as many IPAs, more like a full-bodied red like a malbec. Watch out though: at 7.2% ABV a 500ml bottle will gobble up 3.6 units, over a quarter of your weekly 14 unit (ha!) allowance. You could happily share it between two though.

Disclosure: I was sent a selection of beers to try by The Durham Brewery.

Off the shelf: Les Crouzes Old Vines Carignan 2014

If you’re looking for a cheap all-purpose red after Christmas this old favourite from the Co-op should fit the bill.

It’s only 12% too which makes it quite light if you’re used to drinking wines that are around 14% but that also brings it under 100 calories per 125ml glass* which can make you feel smugly virtuous. And it’s on offer at £5.49 a bottle which won’t break the bank (with an extra 15% off today (Jan 3rd) if you buy 4 bottles)

It’s made from old Carignan vines which are indigenous to the Languedoc and is a good simple quaffing red to drink with stews, sausages or pulses. And it’s a good wine for mulling if you’re minded to keep that going through January.

*About 95 calories in fact.

Wine of the week: Gentilini Eclipse 2013

I must confess a sentimental attachment to Gentilini who I visited on the beautiful island of Kefalonia back in 2001 when I was researching a feature on Greek food.(Kefalonia - or Cephalonia as it's sometimes spelt - is where the book and film Captain Corelli's Mandolin was set.)

Up to now the only wine I’d come across of theirs in the UK was Robola, an appealingly aromatic, floral white but Oddbins, who stock that too, recently sent me this stunning red to try.

It’s made from the local Mavrodaphne of Kefalonia but tastes more like a good Bordeaux which helps to justify its relatively expensive £17.50 price tag* (still ony £3 a standard 125ml glass for those who think that sounds a bit toppy). Wine is sometimes described as velvety but this one really is with gorgeous dark, damsony fruit. It would go really well with roast lamb and middle-eastern-style meat dishes so is exactly the sort of wine you should buy if you’re cooking up an Ottolenghi-ish style feast.

Perhaps a bit left-field for Christmas drinking so enjoy it before you get swept up in all the madness.

* At the moment you only appear to be able to find it in store - but I do know it's there as I checked in my local branch!

Chronic Cellars Sofa King Bueno 2013

I’m surprised there aren’t more wine brands and labels dedicated to Hallowe’en but yesterday I found a perfect one at the Majestic press tasting.

It’s called Sofa King Bueno from a zany winery called Chronic Cellars* in Paso Robles in Calfornia - a big (14.8%!) juicy exuberant blend of petite sirah, syrah, grenache and mourvedre which has a skeleton on the label

It would be great with something like an authentic south-west American - or even a Tex-Mex - chile or with barbecued brisket and obviously would be equally suitable for the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations the next day

The only downside is that at £14.99 (on multibuy at Majestic) it’s not quite cheap enough for a party but I’ll be posting some better value Hallowe’en and bonfire night reds next week. Apparently it’s in 107 of the Majestic branches which is roughly half the estate and is supposed to be available online though I can’t currently find it on the site. There’s still time for them to order if for you though if you want it.

Availability - and price - is better in the US.

*Which is run by a family called Beckett. No relation but an added bonus so far as I'm concerned!