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Bottoms up

For Christmas and New Year, indulge in a festive cocktail or fine wine. We’ve asked the experts for their favourite tipples and star concoctions to enjoy this season.

Illustrator

Portuguese gin & tonic
Serves 1

Ingredients
40ml white port
25ml gin
10ml fresh lime juice
Good quality tonic water, to top

Method
Combine the port, gin and lime juice in a highball glass filled with ice cubes and stir until chilled. Top with tonic water and garnish.

Garnish: Fresh bay leaf

Glass: Highball, Toyo Sasaki’s casts a sleek silhouette

Illustration of a Portuguese gin and tonic cocktail with bay leaf garnish in a highball glass.

Blush 75
Serves 1

Ingredients
40ml rhubarb gin
20ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
12.5ml sugar syrup
Chilled sparkling rosé, to top

Method
Combine everything but the sparkling rosé in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well mixed. Strain into a champagne flute and top with chilled sparkling rosé to taste. Garnish.

Garnish: Rhubarb ribbons or lemon peel

Glass: Champagne flute, Riedel’s is a tender-stemmed delight

Illustration of a Blush 75 cocktail in a champagne flute with lemon peel garnish.

Negroni Sbagliato
Serves 1

Ingredients
25ml Campari
12.5ml Martini Rosso
10ml Antica Formula, or any sweet red vermouth
25ml chilled lambrusco, or any Italian sparkling wine, such as prosecco, to top

Method
Fill a mixing glass with ice and add the Campari, Martini Rosso and Antica Formula. Stir and strain into a tumbler; top with lambrusco. Twist orange peel over the glass to release aromatic oils.

Garnish: Orange twist

Glass: Tumbler, ours is from Shotoku Usuhari

Illustration of a Negroni Sbagliato cocktail in a tumbler with orange twist garnish and ice.

Boulevardier
Serves 1

Ingredients
40ml bourbon
25ml Campari
25ml sweet red vermouth or, for a fruity twist, cherry liqueur

Method
Stir ingredients with ice in a mixing glass and the strain into a chilled glass. Garnish.

Garnish: Orange slice, lemon twist or cocktail cherry

Glass: Tumbler by J Hill’s Standard

Use one large ice cube: smaller cubes melt quicker and add more water to the drink

Illustration of a Boulevardier cocktail in a tumbler with ice and orange twist garnish.

Our one-stop festive wine list
Plonk for any occasion or company – our tidy selection of buys to keep the cellar stocked this Yuletide.

1.
White
Zalze bush vine chenin blanc 2016
Stellenbosch, South Africa

Notes: Fresh, light, aromatic, delicious; South Africa at its understated best.
Cost: About €10

Illustration of Zalze bush vine chenin blanc 2016 wine bottle with pale yellow wine and tree label.

2.
White
Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner 2015
Kamptal, Austria

Notes: Dry, fruity, round: this is the grape that those in the know are supping.
Cost: About €25

Illustration of a bottle of Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner 2015 white wine from Austria

3.
White
Puligny-Montrachet Joseph Drouhin 2012
Burgundy, France

Notes: One of the great white Burgundies by one of Burgundy’s best.
Cost: About €65

Illustration of a bottle of Puligny-Montrachet Joseph Drouhin 2012 white Burgundy wine.

4.
Red
Ravenswood old vine Zinfandel 2013
Lodi, California

Notes: Just like Christmas itself: big, fruity and deeply satisfying.
Cost: About €15

Illustration of Ravenswood old vine Zinfandel 2013 wine bottle from Lodi, California.

5.
Red
La Rioja Alta rioja gran reserva 904, 2007
Haro, Spain

Notes: A storied rioja-producer with a wine that’s more elegant than assertive.
Cost: About €35

Illustration of La Rioja Alta rioja gran reserva 904 wine bottle with gold foil cap and cream label.

6.
Red
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chateau Beaucastel 2007
Rhône Valley, France

Notes: Deep, dark, smoky and a star of the southern Rhône.
Cost: About €80

Illustration of Château de Beaucastel 2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine bottle with red foil cap and label.

7.
Champagne
Pol Roger brut reserve
Epernay, France

Notes: Dry, crisp, long-lasting (thank the small bubbles) and a favourite of Winston Churchill.
Cost: About €60

Illustration of a bottle of Pol Roger brut reserve champagne from Epernay, France.

8.
Rosé
Domaine Tempier Bandol rosé 2016
Le Castellet, France

Notes: The rosé for those who think the pink stuff is beneath them.
Cost: About €30

Drinks recipes: Charlotte O’Connell
Wine recommendations: Kathleen Burk

Illustration of Domaine Tempier Bandol rosé 2016 wine bottle with golden foil and cream label.

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