Welcome to our second edition of 12 Wines of Christmas. In this series we’re going to explore 12 wines that we think you should be drinking this Christmas. We’ll tell you why we have chosen it, the food pairings we recommend and a little bit more info on the winery/region.

So, without further ado and in no particular order, let’s introduce #2 in the 12 wines of Christmas!

WHAT IS ALBA VEGA ALBARINO?

Alba Vega is a collaboration between Albarino grape growers in the Rias Baixas region, and Bodegas Vega winery, based in Rioja.

This wine follows all the protocol for Rias Baixas appellation laws and is a great representation of Galician white wine. We decided to include it in our 12 Wines of Christmas series because white wine often gets neglected at this time of the year. People (including myself) tend to opt for ‘warming’ full-bodied reds, which is fine, however a nice crisp white wine, especially paired well with food can be the perfect break from all the Port, Stilton and Cabernet Sauvignon.

HOW DOES IT TASTE?

It’s a young, vibrant, fruit forward and refreshing tipple. Albariño wine is very aromatic, as it has a high number of terpenes. These are aromatic compounds, which are also very prevalent in Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Riesling. With this in mind, expect very intense aromas, predominantly of lemon, lime and other citrus fruits.

WHAT SHOULD I PAIR ALBA VEGA ALBARINO WITH?

It’s no secret that prawn cocktail is a very popular/traditional Christmas dinner starter. It may be a bit outdated but we would recommend pairing it with something along those lines.

Having said that, we like to do things properly so put away the mini prawns and marie-rose sauce. We’re talking, king prawns, cured salmon strips, calamari and mussels. Steam the mussels, fry the calamari and king prawns with some lime, salt and ginger, put them in a bowl on a bed of salad leaves and you’re ready to go!

Basically, the acidity in the wine will compliment both the acidity in the lime juice and the salt will really help bring out the flavours of both the wine and the food.

Ok, ok. Christmas is supposed to be a relaxing day, so if you really don’t want to put all the effort in, then M&S offer a nice, ready made, king prawn package for £25. Click here to see it!

WHERE CAN I BUY ALBA VEGA ALBARINO?

Funnily enough, you can get this wine directly from our website. Who’d have thought!? It’s £13.11 per bottle and worth every penny. Click here for more info!

THANK YOU FOR READING 12 WINES OF CHRISTMAS #2

We hope you enjoyed it and got a little bit inspired to try a wine that you might not have thought about having at this time of year.

Lightfoot Wines is an independent wine merchant est 1989. We aim to provide you with products and a level of service not seen in regular shops. We believe that wine should be enjoyed by everyone, feel free to ask us your wine related questions and we will provide you with an answer.All our products are available online, we can deliver anywhere in the UK and shipping is free on orders of £100 ad over!Visit us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for regular updates and special offers.