An Occasional Tipple: Wine, tea and the best of 2023

By Raymond Gleug

Published 2nd Jan 2024, 13:55 BST

To assist me in observing my New Year resolutions my darling wife, the redoubtable Madame G., has threatened to lock the wine cellar at our lovely home, Rose Cottage, on Monday morning and hide the key in a very private place. Nonetheless, my livelihood dictates that I continue to direct any wine-gleugging reprobates out there who can still cobble together the price of a wee swallie towards some dacent bottles. Not just any old wine; today I dish out the gongs for the best wines I tasted in 2023.

BEST RED WINE (£10 or less): the easy-drinking, dangerously moreish, dark, decadent and rustic 2020 Hachon Ribera del Duero (£9.99, Lidl). This robust Spanish red has a complex palate with plenty of black cherry and blackberry flavours which yield to a magnificently lengthy and deftly spiced finish with hints of black pepper and coriander. A fine accompaniment to charcuterie, cheese or even a succulent fillet steak.

BEST WHITE WINE (£10 or less): the ripe, zesty and exceptionally elegant 2021 Benjamin Darnault Viognier (£8.99, Naked Wines, visit www.nakedwines.com). Pronounced apricot and stone fruit flavours mingle pleasantly with honey and subtle spices in this delightfully dry French white. An ideal match to poultry or seafood, it actually graced the Christmas table at Rose Cottage.

BEST SPARKLING WINE (£10 or less): the lipsmackingly crisp, satisfyingly savoury and delightfully dry Asti D.O.C.G. Secco (M&S, £10). Fresh, fragrant, fabulously fruity and impressively bubbly, this golden-coloured sparkler is packed with intoxicating citrus and peach flavours.

Enjoy this Italian fizz with a luxurious crab salad and Melba toast as we did before the aforementioned Christmas dinner.

You'll notice that all today's recommendations cost £10 or less. That's partly due to the current cost of living crisis. But it's got even more to do with me being mindful of the fact that most of you, even during happier economic times, inevitably find yourselves hopelessly skint following the excesses of Christmas.

And probably the only reason you're still drinking is to distract yourselves from the awful misery of your dire financial situation. I can only apologise for bringing it to your attention yet again. Resolutions start on Monday.

On which note, my boss here gave me a Christmas gift of the rich, full-bodied, vibrantly aromatic and extravagantly flavoursome Dalgety Peppermint Tea. I don’t know how much it cost as she removed the price tag and it would be churlish to check online. Anyway, it’s delicious and highly recommended if you’re doing Dry January. I wonder what she’s trying to suggest.

Rich folk, tune in next week when I'll have a few of the best luxury recommendations from 2023 which are literally just for you. And me. All that remains now is for me to seduce my Madame and persuade her to reveal the whereabouts of that cellar key. Till next week, tipplers, sante!