The CWB Christmas Spain-Off

Three wines from Spain over Christmas

• M&S Extra Dry Manzanilla: M&S Manzanilla Dry Sherry — Ocado
• M&S Palo Cortado: M&S Palo Cortado Sherry | M&S
• CVNE Imperial Reserva 2016: Imperial Reserva wine | CVNE

Wit both kids home for Christmas, I picked out various wine I though they would enjoy and form part of the oenological education.

1 child shares my love of savoury, high acidity wines, such as mature Riesling, Chenin and fizz.

2 child is an hispanofile so I picked out two sherries and a mature Rioja to go with tapas starters and roast venison main.

I had picked up the Rioja with him several years ago in Morrisons when it was marked down from £30 to £10. No need to ask questions, just grab as many as I could physically carry at that price. During check-out, he managed to be an “unexpected item in the bagging area” and was very pleased with himself about it.

The sherries were recent purchases from M&S, with the Palo Cortado marked down by a few pounds.

Manzanilla (£12, M&S)

Bright sandy gold: green apples, pastry shop, chopped hazelnuts and camomile; fresh, saline and pungent with Bramley apple, fresh net leaf, white stone fruits, hazelnut and macadamia and savoury leesy complexity.

Very Good

Drinks nicely on first opening; needs no cellaring but equally in no rush to be consumed.

A perfect aperitif, match with tapas such as olives, cheese, chorizo and picos.

Palo Cortado (£12, M&S)

topaz; pungent pastry shop with roasted nuts and spices; fresh and saline with roasted nuts, orchard fruit and complex savouriness. Long and persistent.

Good+.

Match with jamon, roasted almonds and chorizo.

CUNE imperial Rioja 2016 (£28, Morrison’s, Majestic)

14%

Deep ruby garnet with some paleness to the rim; baked bramble fruits and berries, tobacco leaf, spice, graphite and old leather; fresh, plush ripe dark berry, dark plum and black cherry fruit with cool mint; sleek polished, well-integrated tannins and savoury complexity.

Very Good.

Drinks nicely on first pouring, opens up with aeration and can be cellared further.

Others say:

Tina Gellie for Decanter:

• Marks & Spencer, Extra Dry & Light Manzanilla, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Jerez, Spain
• Marks & Spencer, Very Rare Palo Cortado, Jerez, Spain