Wines for New Year’s Eve with Downham-based wine connoisseur

Soup to Nuts Digital writer Giles Luckett pens his fortnightly Wine O’Clock column…

With the turkey finished and the sprouts my mother put on, on Christmas Eve, ‘Just needing another couple of minutes’ it’s time to talk New Year’s Eve wines. This year I’ve gone through my notes and the following are some of my wines of 2024, all of which are guaranteed to give you some New Year cheer and banish all thoughts of Dry January. So, on with the wines.

First up, the first of two sparkling wines, and call me predictable but it’s one from Graham Beck. Less predictably it’s not the Graham Beck NV (Majestic £12) but the Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 (£17). This is an astonishingly good wine and is the equal of any rosé Champagne under £50. 100% Pinot from a single vintage, the extra bottle age has mellowed the exuberant summer fruits, producing a rounded, juicy wine that’s an absolute joy.

I’ll stick with rosé for my next recommendation, the Saint Roseline Prestige Rosé (Bon Coeur Wines £23.99). With a history dating back to the 13th century and the honour of being just one of 23 estates included in the 1955 Provence Cru Classé classification, this is one of the best French rosés you can buy. Salmon pink, the nose blends strawberries and red cherries with exotic fruits and a zingy hit of grapefruit. The medium-bodied palate reflects these tones, adding raspberries, loganberry, rhubarb and savoury minerals to the refined finish.

Next, my red wine of the year, if only judging by the number of empties, is the Cune Reserva Rioja 2019 (Waitrose £13.49). This is everything a great Rioja should be. Rich, multi-layered, complex and with an easy-going charm, the splendid 2019 vintage has imparted a black cherry and oriental spice tone to the abundant blackberry and mulberry fruit. They’ll be moving on to the 2020 in 2025 so get some while you can and stash it away as this has a long life ahead of it.

I’ll finish with a flourish and the Taittinger Prélude (Majestic £57). This remarkable champagne is made from 100% Grand Cru-rated vineyards and given four years of bottle age before release, it balances power and refinement to jaw-dropping effect. Golden with tiny pearlescent bubbles lifting notes of pear, apple, grapefruit and brioche into the air, the palate is endowed with a glorious combination of white and green fruits supported by a firm, chalky minerality. The perfect way to toast the new year (albeit I’ll be doing so at 10pm), this is another sublime wine from Taittinger.

Well, that’s it for 2024. I’ll start the 2025 with some Dry January wines, but for now Happy New Year and cheers!