Dreaming of a white Christmas? Two wines to toast the tree.One rather expensive, one rather well priced. How do these two Bordeaux’s stack up?

We won’t be having any people round on Xmas day, and personally I’m loving the idea.

Finally, after all these years, my partner and I can legitimately say’no’ and have the day to ourselves.

I’m not a Xmas grinch, but Xmas day is not usually a good day for me. For example, one year my partner’s father died suddenly right on Xmas eve, how selfish is that? The whole of that particular Xmas day was one that we prefer to forget.

So, we shall not be sharing our food with anyone who doesn’t like certain vegetables, or can’t eat (pick your fad) or has decided, with three hour’s notice, they are now vegan. Yes, that actually happened one year.

And I can now get better wines for those people that like wine more than lager at lunch, i.e. the two of us.

mcith_Screenshot%202020-12-08%20at%2008.So, we road tested two Bordeaux whites and tried a bit of English cheese with them, as we like cheese with wine and post Brexit it may be all we have!

First up a bottle of Château Bauduc Sauvignon Blanc 2019, which I am reliably informed is a house white in Gordon Ramsay restaurants and made by British growers Gavin and Angela Quinney.

2019 was a good year for Bordeaux’s growers, possibly a good year for Gordon too.

This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc and a bright, glassy, wine with a sharp citrus edge which made it an ideal partner to some goats’ cheese we had from Ragstone.

We’d let the cheese sit for about a week to make sure there was no hard chalky interior, I really hate that, and for the rind to take on a bit more’honk’.

In fact, there was no need, this cheese is expertly made and is creamy from the get go with a fine mould on the exterior. The wines sharpness offset the cream very well and at the same time drew out the earthy notes from the rind.

A little too sharp for my taste after a few glasses though, this is a wine that needs food to smooth its edges. Still for the money, it’s a definite winner to have with some canapes.

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Double the price is Château La Louviere Pessac-Léognan, 2013, at around £20, but boy is it worth every penny.

What a cracking wine. Our (socially distanced) little group in the garden (four adults, two children) all loved this wine. It went especially well with a slab of smoked cheese originally destined for raclette.

Okay, this wine is oaky and some people get a bit sniffy about that, but not me, I love it. There is peach on the nose to a marked degree and a rounded balance on the palate with a hint of acidity to finish and a dash of white pepper.

That acidity was perfect with the cheese, cutting through the delicious smokiness like a fireman with breathing apparatus.

So excited was I by this one, I went to the fridge (warmer than the garden) and cracked out a pack of Cinco Jotas ham.

This is gorgeous stuff, one of the best jamons, and was a big hit with the now fairly well frozen adults. The kids, seemingly impervious to cold, were happy up the end of the garden chasing the cat around.

So as you browse for wine this winter, don’t just go for the Aussies out of habit. French wine is always better with food in my book, and English cheeses. Aussie is for drinking standing up. With a pig in a blanket.

Follow the links to find the wines and cheese and visit  Bayley & Sage  and  www.bordeaux.com/gb