Fun to write a wine piece with this title! Why? Well, there are 12 bottles of wine in a case (or sometimes six, so you can just tape two together…)
Until this very moment, and possibly linked to the fact that I did not have a religious upbringing, I thought the 12 Days of Christmas culminated in the 12th day being Christmas Day. Wrong. The first day of Christmas is apparently Christmas Day and the 12th is, well, 12 days later.
Anyway – you can keep your various birds, leaping lords and maids-a-milking as I’d much prefer a dozen wines. Far less hassle and infinitely more enjoyable (although the five gold rings wouldn’t go amiss… have you seen the price of gold recently?)
So, here goes…you know the tune….
On the first day of Christmas, the glass I want the most
Is a bubbles so we can drink a toast
On the second day of Christmas, a rosé works a treat
And pairs well with anything we eat
On the third day of Christmas, I think a Gris is best
It should pass the curried turkey test
On the fourth day of Christmas, a Marlborough Savvy Blanc
With seafood it is the perfect plonk
On the fifth day of Christmas, a red will do the trick
A ripe Pinot Noir would be my pick
On the sixth day of Christmas, it’s Riesling that I crave
Chilled, it’s perfect for in a heat wave!
On the seventh day of Christmas, another Pinot Gris
‘Cos everyone enjoys it (not just me)!
On the eighth day of Christmas, I want a statement wine
A Gewurztraminer will suit me fine
On the ninth day of Christmas, something a little sweet?
A late Harvest Riesling’s such a treat!
On the tenth day of Christmas, a ripe Hawke’s Bay Syrah
With barbecues it really is on par
On the eleventh day of Christmas, it’s Chardonnay for me
It’s great with cheese especially French brie
On the twelfth day of Christmas, I’ll take a Viognier
Even though many find it hard to say
So in summary – there is a wine for any occasion – Christmas or not! Wine is for sharing and enjoying with friends and family and of course, great food. Why not use the festive season to try out a few different styles?