Drink of the week: Warner Edwards Harrington Sloe Gin

If you’re going to stay with someone - or even just have a meal with them - over Christmas, it’s good to take along a bottle of some kind and if you don’t know their taste in wine why not make it gin?

Warner Edwards, which is run by two good friends Tom Warner and Sion Edwards, was one of the finalists in the drinks category of the BBC Food & Farming Awards I judged earlier this year. I liked their whole range, especially the rhubarb gin but sloe is perfect at this time of year.

It comes handsomely presented in a wax-sealed bottle and a box so looks as if you’ve spend money on it. (Which you have. It’s around £30 from online retailers including John Lewis and Amazon - which is expensive for sloe gin but at 30% it’s higher in alcohol than most which makes it suitable both for cocktails and sipping.) I can strongly recommend trying it with Stilton or pouring it into a hip flask for your Boxing Day walk …

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!

Wine of the week: Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2010

If you’re a fan of mature Chablis - or are looking for a special white for Christmas - this is a marvellous bottle from one of Chablis’ most idiosyncractic and interesting winemakers

Defaix makes his Chablis the traditional way with natural yeasts and ages them for much longer than conventional producers.

Normally the price would be around £18* but at the moment Booth’s is only charging £15.79 for it which I think is a steal for a wine of this age and provenance. (Sometimes they have a 3 for 2 offer on wines over £10 which would make it better value still)

I’d drink it with a good piece of grilled flat fish like sole or brill though it would obviously go with other seafood suspects like scallops, salmon or with a simply roast chicken or guineafowl with a creamy sauce.

While you’re in Booths which has branches all over the north-west of England I suggest you also pick up a bottle of the deliciously peachy Domaine de Vedilhan Serica Pays d’Oc Viognier 2014 which is currently on offer at £7.99 rather than £9.99

*You can also buy this wine from Tanner’s and Laithwaite’s

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!