Mary Berry’s Christmas Matches!

In this week’s WEEKEND magazine, Olly pairs the drinks for foolproof festive recipe’s from Queen of the Kitchen, Mary Berry’s new cookbook.

Buche de Noel

Olly’s wine pairing: Morrisons Ruby Port (19%) £9.25

Serve this cold from the fridge in white wine glasses for a great-value, juicy berry boost with Mary’s Buche de Noel. With its lovely luscious red fruit, this sweet fortified bargain is fabulously festive.

Crayfish and Avocado Cocktail

Olly’s wine pairing: Roversi Pecorino 2022 (12%) £7.75, Asda

Move over, Chablis! For perfection with the Crayfish And Avocado Cocktail, just grab this mineral-pure Italian pecorino. It’s a bright and delicious white wine that dazzles as brightly as the star on top of the Christmas tree.

Side of Salmon with Hoisin Vegetables

Olly’s wine pairing: Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 (13%) £12, Sainsbury’s

What a wine! Made by a famous winemaking family, this peachy pure gem is outstanding and well worth treating yourself to alongside the Side Of Salmon to ensure some splendour this Christmas.

Veggie Wellington

Olly’s wine pairing: Chosen By Majestic Zinfandel 2020 (14.5%) From £8.99

Memorable as a blueberry ripened by the sun’s roaring core, this is red wine with real welly that’s a statement to serve alongside veggie dishes. It’s a bold bottle with huge flavour to warm you from winter’s chill.

Christmas Fruit Cake

Olly’s wine pairing: Tesco Finest Pedro Ximénez Sherry NV (15%, 37.5cl) £7.25

The sweetest, darkest sherry to serve chilled in small glasses – it tastes like liquid fruit cake turned up to 11! Super sweet, immensely sticky and outrageously indulgent. Treat yourself.

Canapés

Olly’s wine pairing: Waitrose No. 1 Castillo Perelada Cava Brut 2021 (11.5%) £11.99, reduced to £8.99 until 1 January

Here are beautiful bubbles to pop with canapés thanks to a moreish balance of almond, lemon and peachy depth. And you don’t have to spend big for this entertaining, box-office bubbly.


This article was originally published in the Daily Mail’s WEEKEND magazine on Saturday 2nd December 2023.

Read the full column and get all the lip smacking recipes HERE.



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