Christmas hamper wine recommendations?

Drinks Chat
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This year I’ve decided to put together some hampers for some of the outlaws. I never know what to get them as their wealth allows them to purchase pretty much anything they want and I end up getting a little stressed over their gifts .
Providing myself with lots of “work” I’ll be putting in lots of homemade stuff . I already think that @Herbster ‘s toffee apple vodka will make an appearance. I’ve made some chutney which is sitting maturing in the garage, will this week make some Christmas cakes and continue to “feed” them over the next few weeks . I was also thinking about making some marmalade and I’ll include my homemade pickled onions and garam masala etc… you get the idea . So the challenge is to find a couple of wines for each hamper around the £10- £15 mark . Different wines for different people in case they compare notes :see_no_evil:. I always like recommendations here because invariably someone will throw something up I hadn’t even considered and will end up working brilliantly. So help me out and let me hear your suggestions . Thanks :pray:
(Also, further suggestions for homemade hamper items would be helpful!)

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For a white which is both unusual and delicious, Capricho Godello, Bierzo 2017 from TWS at £12.95. For a red, also from TWS, (slightly over budget @ £15.50), The Society’s Exhibition Rioja Reserva 2011 which is drinking very well.

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There were a couple of standout wines from the recent press tasting that are perhaps wines that may not normally be considered…?

1 each of red and white, averaging around the £10 a bottle mark. @Bargainbob reviews are on the TWS site (reminding me that I must get round to doing that too!).

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Good idea to make a hamper of home made stuff…we do that for various relatives of varying financial health (!).

Don’t know if perishables are on the menu, but gravadlax would be quite seasonal too. Or slightly less perishable is home made pancetta…

Get some sloe gin/vodka on next year’s list!

For wine, how about…

or

Whites, maybe:

or

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I Loved this Godello at the recent #twstaste and have ordered more for myself :smirk:.great suggestions so far @Alchemist and @MarkC. Homemade pancetta sounds fab … do you have a recipe ??

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What a LOVELY idea! And a great solution for ‘what to buy the person who has everything’ = buy them something money can’t buy - a homemade gift!

How about some cranberry sauce? My Ma makes a batch every year and it’s SO much better than anything I’ve ever bought in the shops. Think she does a Port and cranberry sauce recipe - probably Delia or BBC Good Food (I can ask for the recipe if that helps?)

Wine-wise, love the suggestions made already (especially Godello and the Eulalie red!) but a couple of wildcards:

Something English?

A GORGEOUS white Burg I regularly enjoy at Christmas:

Utterly beautiful NZ syrah - a nice winter warmer:

Festive bubbles?!

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Nice idea - have done similar

What about home made fudge / shortbread ?

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Oooh, yes! @hugofount, don’t you have a whisky fudge recipe?!

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4 posts were split to a new topic: Mark’s Delicious Pancetta Recipe

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Oh my Goodness! You guys are the best!! Such great ideas!! I had thought of doing fudge in the slow cooker and would LOVE the whiskey fudge recipe @hugofount? @laura, yes please for a cranberry sauce recipe too , such a good idea.
Thanks so much @MarkC, I’m definitely going to try this this week and see how I get on with it before re-making it for the big event hampers.

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What a brilliant idea, @Leah! And one that I enjoy making for special people in my life too.

One of our favourite snacks is Chipotle-spiced nuts, baked with maple syrup and orange juice. Whenever I make them (at Christmas or at any other time) they are the first snack to be decimated. I’ll dig up the recipe when I’m back home. You can make a batch, then put it in nice little containers/purse-style cellophane bags once they are fully cooled.

As to wine, it’s SO difficult to decide, but here are some suggestions:

White:

And red:

Could go on forever, of course… but won’t! :wink:

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Thanks @Inbar, sounds like a great addition to the hamper… looks like I will be pretty busy :joy:. The wine suggestions are fab too.

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3 posts were split to a new topic: Inbar’s Chipolte and Rosemary roasted nuts

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@Leah You could do something like grapefruit or lime/lemon marmelade, but the true Seville Orange version would have to wait until January, so… how about the most perfect lemon curd? Would need to be be chilled in the fridge and added to the hamper at the last minute (and assume that the hamper would be soon delivered), but it’s gorgeous and feels festive. Takes just over 1 hour for 3 big jars - I will publish the recipe if interested?

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@Inbar, this is fabulous!!! Thank you :pray:. @VinoVeritas can you only make marmalade with Seville oranges ? The lemon curd sounds like a great idea too thanks .

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@Leah It can be made with a sweet orange, but you tend to miss out on the bitter edge and intense orange flavour that the Seville’s make. These also have more pectin which helps achieve a better set. I have only made marmelade with Seville oranges, but it’s worth trying with the ‘normal’ type - just add some pectin and a couple of lemons too. Lime marmelade is quite an effort - very little juice from such small fruit!

I will post the Lemon Curd recipe this evening. I think it’s easier, quicker and addictively delicious - just needs keeping in the fridge.

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.

Red…Maby Lirac

White…Macon Villages…Talmard

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4 posts were split to a new topic: Ma Vickers’ Port and Cranberry sauce

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A post was split to a new topic: Gary’s Lemon curd recipe

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Dont forget the rum butter!

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