The chains have plenty of enticing offers if you're planning a Christmas party or two, writes Joe Breen.
Wow, that was fast. Where did the year go? No matter: it's party season again. The wine you serve will depend on the event - having the boss and her husband around for a seasonal drink requires a tad more preparation than an impromptu knees-up with the neighbours - but there are some points worth noting whatever you're up to.
The wines need to be compatible with the food. There's no point serving your top Bordeaux with a steaming curry.
The bigger the party, the more important it is to select wines that have broad appeal. Keep your obscure, muscle-bound reds and sharp, acidic whites under wraps and go, instead, for tried-and-tested Australian, US and Chilean Cabernet Sauvignons; Chilean Pinot Noirs; good-value French blends, such as Côtes du Rhône; basic Bordeaux; South African and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc; French vin de pays Chardonnay, Marsanne and so on; Italian Pinot Grigio or Chianti; Argentine Chardonnay and Malbec; and any one of the great-value reds and whites from the emerging areas of Spain. In short, take no chances.
Avoid wines with too much oak and too much alcohol, the first because the wine gets boring as the night goes on, the second because the people do, too.
Always order more than you expect to be drunk. There is nothing worse than being forced to scramble down to the off-licence halfway through the night when guests start a run on the white. Allow a half-bottle for each guest - that should be enough when set against the extremes of those who don't drink at all and those who can't stop - and then add a bottle or three of white and red as insurance. Perhaps because of the food, more wine is consumed at dinner parties. So increase the amount to a bottle per person. The extra won't go to waste in the long run.
The best time to buy Christmas wine is during the September and November sales (although you then have to salt away your booty, which many people find extremely difficult). Nevertheless, supermarkets (and off-licences) still have lots of good offers, many of them aimed at parties. Look for something reasonably good and reasonably priced. Although you generally get what you pay for, there are also loss leaders worth nailing before they run out.
Have something interesting ready for non-drinkers, such as the intriguing banana beer, one of dozens of recipes on www.floras-hideout.com
Next week: off-licence and online offers