Forget the moaners. Joe Breen gives five reasons to be cheerful - and one to be careful
Christmas comes but once a year, which is enough for most of us. But amid all the hype and hoopla there are many reasons to celebrate and many ways to do so. Here are some.
Port
Sadly neglected, port comes into its own for the next few weeks. Discover how good it can be with the likes of Niepoort Colheita 1991 (Wicklow Wine Company, €35) or Ramos Pinto Traditional LBV 1998 (Searson's, Monkstown; Louis Albrouze Wines, Leeson Street, Dublin; Bottle Shop, Lucan, Co Dublin; Le Caveau, Kilkenny; Country Choice, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, €24).
The indie off-licence
Only those as wizened as your correspondent can remember what it was once like. Today, independent off-licences offer much greater variety than the multiples at competitive prices, and they are in your neighbourhood.
Deals, deals, deals
Christmas is the most important period in the drinks-business calendar, and the industry does its utmost to maximise it, as the months that follow can be long and lean. For the consumer these are also happy days. From big supermarkets such as Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, SuperValu and Superquinn through big off-licence chains such as O'Briens, Molloy's and Cheers down to the essential independents, there are bargains to be had, particularly in the key circa-€10 sector. These are some highlights:
Dunnes Stores calls its competitive approach a sale, but, whatever it is, numerous good bottles have been marked down by between 15 and 20 per cent. Among the bottles worth noting is the Mitchelton Blackwood Park Estate Riesling 2004 (from €9.99 to €7.99), which has a bracing array of lime and floral notes and a dry finish. Much of Mitchelton's wide range is carried in the sale, including the high-end Print Shiraz 1999 (from €34.95 to €29.95), plus numerous French and Italian bottles.
Marks & Spencer: Good bottles include the rich Chardonnays Tupungato 2004, from Argentina, and the organic Chilean Mareante Hill 2004 (both €10). In the red corner, Valpolicella Classico Ripasso 2003, at €7.99, is impressively dark and intense; Domaine de la Meynarde Côtes du Rhône Village 2004, at €8.50, is good value for its well-balanced peppery flavours.
O'Briens has a really strong line-up of seasonal offerings at every price. It too has a sale, albeit one that ends tomorrow; other promotional offers run until the end of December. The weekend offer includes some weighty and iconic Bordeaux, such as Château Lynch-Bages 2001 (from €65 to €44.95) and the gorgeous 2001 Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Bougros (from €45 to €29.95). The Christmas promotions include the elegant Chanson Beaune Clos du Roi Premier Cru 2002 (from €24.95 to €19.99) and the excellent Rioja Sierra Cantabria Crianza 2001 (from €13.99 to €11.99).
Molloy's Liquor Stores also has impressive performers in the €10 sector, including Mission Saint Vincent Bordeaux 2001 (€7.99), with its soft blackcurrant flavours.
Party time
There is no shortage of good reasons for a party at Christmas - and no shortage of ideas for drinks at them, either. The two wines judged the best value by The Best of Wine in Ireland 2006 (A&A Farmer), Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2003 and Altozana 2004, are a good place to start. The Chilean Pinot Noir, at €7.99, boxes well above its weight, its lovely rounded cherry fruit and soft finish the stuff of better-bred bottles. (Widely available, including at branches of Centra, Eurospar, Londis and Mace, plus off-licences such as O'Donovan's, Cork; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, Co Dublin; and Martha's Vineyard, Rathfarnham, Dublin). The Altozano, made from Verdejo grapes in Spain, is more wide-awake stuff, with vivacious tropical aromas, lemon flavours and a bracing finish (€7.99, from Goggin's, Monkstown; O'Neill's, South Circular Road, Dublin; O'Keeffe's, Ennis, Co Clare; Bradley's, Cork). A more benign option might be Adobe Chardonnay 2004 (O'Briens, €9.95), a soft Chilean wine, although its alcohol level - 14 per cent - might put some off.
Cocktails
Then, of course, there is always the cocktail party. Order in a large fruit basket, line up your spirits, prepare your ice and go to (lots of) work. But hold on a second. There is quick and easy way if you don't mind plastic bottles and an array of E-numbers. Cocktail mixes such as those made by Finest Call do away with the need for messy "soft" ingredients - you just need ice and the hard stuff. So for a cosmopolitan, just fill a shaker with ice and combine two parts vodka with three parts Finest Call cosmopolitan mix. Stir, shake and pour. (The real deal uses vodka, Cointreau or another triple sec, lime juice and cranberry juice.) There are eight cocktail recipes, the bottles hold a litre (or six to eight drinks, depending on your glass) and they cost €5.99 each. They are not the real thing, but they are passable imitations. The scenic route is always best, time permitting.
Alcohol
In its many forms alcohol can be endlessly fascinating and fun. Don't overdo it.