Think: is it silky or velvety? Is it heavy or
light? Does it feel rough or smooth?”
There’s more welcome news if you’re
prone to panicking in front of a restaurant
sommelier. “Tell them you’re bored of
the classics, even if you don’t know exactly
what they are, and ask them to show you
something that’s exciting in the wine world
right now,” Lyons advises. “Crucially —
and don’t get ashamed or find this awkward
— tell them your budget. It’s their job to
show you something amazing, whatever
you can afford. If they’re worth their salt
they will be able to do it.”
If you want to impress a guest or a friend,
there’s no need to whip out a ten-year-old
bottle of fine claret either. There are plenty
of delicious but accessible grapes; a bottle
of sparkling wine will always go down well,
Lyons says. “I haven’t met anyone who
doesn’t like bubbles at Christmas — and
you can get a bottle for as little as £7.” If you
can stretch a little further, he recommends
Cloudy Bay’s Pelorus from New Zealand.
If you’re going to a dinner party and have
no idea what’s on the menu, bring pinot noir.
“A bottle from the southern hemisphere
goes down well with most dishes.”
If you prefer white wines, there’s no need
to be ashamed of choosing a chardonnay.
It is, after all, the grape that creates the
world’s greatest white burgundies. “Look
for a bottle from either Mâcon in France or
from Western Australia,” Lyons says.
“These are real crowd-pleasers. Don’t worry
about the Bridget Jones connotations.”
For lovers of robust reds, he suggests
plumping for Spanish rioja. “It’s hard to find
a bad bottle of rioja and they can be great
value for money.”
With eight episodes under her belt,
Oliver is far more confident and says she
will be taking charge of which wines are on
the table at home. “I’ve always said to my
family, ‘We drink so much wine, we should
know more about it,’ so this year I’ll be able
to give it some context. Who knows, maybe
I’ll even ask for a spittoon for Christmas.” n
New episodes of Wine Times are available every
Tuesday on the Times Radio app, or wherever
you get your podcasts. The weekly Sunday
Times Culture Show, presented by Miquita
Oliver and Grant Tucker, is on YouTube42 • The Sunday Times Magazine
1 2019 Cave de Tain Grand
Classique Crozes-Hermitage
Waitrose, £10 (down from
£16 until Dec 14) France
Ripe-fruited shiraz from the new
world is a common starting point
for those interested in learning
about red wine — and from there
it’s a small step to syrah, as the
grape is known in its French
homeland. This elegant Crozes-
Hermitage from the northern
Rhône is full-bodied and savoury,
brimming with red fruit, black
pepper and spice. An ideal
companion with a hearty stew
on a cold wintry night.2 2021 Yealands Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc
Sainsbury’s, £7.25 New Zealand
If you’re new to sauvignon blanc,
New Zealand is an excellentWill Lyons picks out half
a dozen wines to enthuse
the novice wine drinkerYOUR
STARTER
FOR SIX
WHAT MIQUITA HAS LEARNT
1 It’s OK to ask questions. It always leads
somewhere interesting
2 Red wine can go with fish, such as tuna
steak or monkfish
3 The fact that monks produced the
world’s first champagne
4 The best place to store wine is in your
knicker drawer. It’s dark and just the
right temperature