What should be at the top of every Christmas host’s priority list? Serving a decent wine of course, but when you don’t know your merlot from your muscadet, selecting the right festive tipple can prove tricky.

Even if you are something of a wine connoisseur, deciding when to get out that ageing bottle of port can be a tough task. A treasured red kept for a special seasonal toast could turn into sorry sour grapes if you have not stored it correctly.

For wine novices, Christmas can often be full of anything but good cheer – yet more and more of us are buying it by the binful.

Christmas is the time to start your own ’cellar’ so you’re sure of having the right wine on hand for any occasion,  whether that’s leaving a small something out for Santa, serving unexpected relatives or finding the perfect last minute gift.

Before you make some buying blunders, stock up on basic knowledge.

A good cellar should include wines for a variety of occasions, from a neighbour popping in for a quick drink to a smart dinner part, have a selection of ready to drink wines close at hand as well as wines that are maturing.

Toast the season with some of these helpful hints.

BUY RIGHT

If you are planning on drinking your purchases with the Christmas turkey, opt for a good red Bordeaux, which will compliment it beautifully, without being overpowering. Steer clear of overrated producers and looking for some lesser known gems that will catch your guests, or your host’s eye.

You can usually pick up a decent bottle in your local supermarket, as many of them sell wines that wouldn’t look out of place in the smallest cellar. High street wine stores and independent merchants can offer specialist advice if you are unsure about your purchase.

If you are buying a wine with a view to storing it, snap up at least six bottles of each product that takes your fancy, that way you can see how the wine develops over time.

GIFT ADVICE

If you’re planning to give a bottle as a Christmas present, consider what would be best to store and point out to the recipient that you’re giving them something that will keep.

Some wines lend themselves better to storage than others. Red wines with plenty of tannin, such as a Borolo, red Bordeaux and port are good candidates, as the tannin helps to keep the wine fresh and stable.

White wines that age well are much rarer, if that is what you want go for a Chardonnay, Riesling, Chenin Blanc or Semillon.

 

STORING YOUR WINE

Storing wine is not as simple as you might think. If you want it to come out of storage in good shape you need to give some thought as to how you store it.

Temperature: The ideal temperature for most wines is 12-13C. Try to avoid storing your wine where temperatures are likely to change. Airing cupboards, kitchens and attics will age your wine prematurely, while garages and sheds will get too cold during the winter.

Humidity: While humidity won’t change the wine itself, it can cause labels to go mouldy, which in turn will reduce the market value of your wine. A humidity of around 70 per cent is about right.

Vibrations: A factor often overlooked, vibrations can be detrimental to wine quality in medium to long-term storage.

Positioning:  Be sure to lie your bottles down for storage as this will keep the corks moist. It is best to go for a good quality rack made from wood and metal.

SERVING WINE

A well aged treasured bottle of wine from the cellar is a wonderful way to help the Christmas dinner go down, but the age of the wine is not all there is to having a good tipple.

The correct serving of the product is just as important to ensure it stays in the best possible condition.

There is not point storing your wine correctly if you serve it at the wrong temperature, in an inappropriate glass or with a deposit. Always ensure you serve your wine at the correct temperature. Red wind should not go above 20C and white wine should not be below 8C. Always have a wine thermometer on hand to check.

Consider using a decanter to serve wine as this will allow it to breathe, removes any sediment and enhances its perfume and fruit.

Lastly, always try to serve your wine in a glass with a tapered bowl as that will help to concentrate its aromas.