With Christmas just around the corner, there is no better time to stock up on some extra wine. We have partnered with William’s House Wines to offer you wine that is simple to choose, easy-to-buy and lovely to drink, delivered safely to your door.
Renowned and respected food writer and critic William is a face and name that many reading this would recognise. With his frequent appearances on MasterChef and his recent serialised bestseller 'The Restaurant: A History of Eating Out' on BBC Radio 4. William lives and breathes all things food, and now wine, after setting up his own one-stop wine shop, William’s House Wines.
Inspired by a love of wine but always feeling overwhelmingly spoilt when choosing that next bottle? William’s House Wines is the solution all wine enthusiasts have been looking for. Formed during lockdown with the pressure of trying to find a straightforward way to buy wine, William’s House Wines is the smallest online wine store. So small that you will only ever find two whites, two reds, two rosés and two sparkling wines at any one time available to buy.
William has done the choosing for everyone and at the same time makes sure that everyone is kept happy by refreshing his wine list every 3-4 weeks. So you will be enjoying your bottle that is open but also looking forward to your next order and delivery in a matter of weeks.
Forget old world vs new, light pink vs dark, his curations aren’t picky or sniffy. William’s selections are packed with good taste and quality and are great value for money. Most fall between £10 and £13, the “sweet spot of wine purchasing” according to William. He has taken it upon himself to solve the issue that many of us have when choosing wine…”I taste every wine and only list the best, the ones I would personally recommend to friends and family.”
So now for the best bit William’s Wine list…
Sparkling Wine
Fizz on Christmas is of course an essential. William recommends getting your hands on not one but two fizzes. One for “properly posh sipping and then another respectable non-champagne fizz (bubbles for your bubble)”. So whether it be on Christmas day to go with the early wake-up call for presents or a more civilised sip along with the Christmas canapés, with two, you will have all bases covered. The Drappier Brut NV Champagne, William claims to be “a marvellous champagne, long dry classic and elegant” or switch it up with a “light, mousey crowd-pleaser” of a prosecco with Williams favourite, the Casa Canevel Prosecco Extra Dry.
Before we introduce the Reds and Whites, save the hassle this Christmas and just keep it simple. William suggests “just buy a parcel of two reds and two whites; one pair to cover glugging and the other to more suit food.”
Red Wine
Reds next, for a “beautiful organic wine from Sicily. Fruity, generous, lush and very, very long” go for the Montaldo Nero D’Avola 2019. However, another tempting option, which William tells us he is “just nuts for this Rioja, is The Conde Valdemar Tempranillo, 2018. This bottle, with its smooth taste, offers something that is the complete match for all the turkey and trimmings."
White Wine
For white, William recommends going with the Domaine du Haut Perron Sauvignon Blanc 2018. “Simply the star of 2020″, he states as it is an utterly perfect Sauvignon Blanc. If this star hasn’t taken all the limelight, The Badet-Clément Révélation Viognier 2019, is another all-round pleaser too. A light, floral, subtle and elegant bottle for incredible value at only 12.95.
For the Pud and Cheese
Finally, it’s pud and cheese time. William is adamant that this is the time to have a little more fun with your choices. “While stilton aches for an ancient bottle of port I like the idea of serving a thick syrupy sherry or a muscatel; both of which drinks can pair with the pud and the cheese,” he tells us. For a lighter sherry option, opt for the Finca Antigua Moscatel Naturalmente Dulce (half bottle). However, if you are really looking for something to go all in and “a little more bonkers” Monteagudo Pedro Ximénez, Delgado Zuleta is just this. Syrupy and sweet so definitely don’t hold back, it’s just a Christmas treat.
From the sparkling to reds, whites, and all in-between, we hope you are now fully clued up with the best wines to get your hands on this Christmas. As William says “Life is too short to waste on a bad glass. I guarantee every sip is a happy one!”.
All wines can be found here at William’s House Wines and the full selection at the William’s House Wines Warehouse.
