Christmas Special
Aunt Corney has the answers to your burning questions
Your experienced friend with no patience for nonsense
Kerry Sproston from Kidderminster writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
I panic-buy wine every Christmas. Help.
Aunt Corney replies:
Goodness gracious. Worry about wearing the same Christmas jumper as last year. Nobody needs that sort of humiliation. As for the wine panic, take a breath and order a Mixed Case or two online from C&B.
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Frank Skelton from Leigh-On-Sea writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
My guests all have wildly different tastes. Do I really need to buy a different wine for everyone?
Aunt Corney replies:
Absolutely not. You are hosting Christmas, not running a wine bar. Choose wines with broad appeal: perhaps a crisp white, a fuller red, something sparkling and a bottle with a little sweetness for afters.
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Heidi Frost from Lichfield writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
I never know what to decant. What’s the rule?
Aunt Corney replies:
Ignore rules that begin with ‘always’. The rule of thumb in decanting is almost the opposite of what you might expect. Young, structured reds might benefit from aeration, and a wide-bottomed decanter will be useful here. With older wines, decanting is often about removing sediment rather than aggressively exposing the wine to oxygen. Handle them gently. Very old or delicate wines can lose their charm surprisingly quickly. When in doubt, taste first. The bottle will tell you what you need to know. Of course, decanters and carafes will always add a certain je ne sais quoi to your table. And frankly, sometimes that’s reason enough.
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Amanda Winter from Exeter writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
Do I have to open the wine my guests bring?
Aunt Corney replies:
Certainly not. It is a gift, not a hostage situation. Thank them warmly and carry on with whatever you had planned. A good host will already have thought about what to serve. A good guest will know this. If the bottle tempts you, however, by all means change course. Flexibility is a virtue.
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Rupert Green from Glastonbury writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
I’ve taken a nice bottle to someone’s house and they’ve put it away. Can I be offended?
Aunt Corney replies:
I salute your generosity, but do not assume your bottle should be opened. Your host may have planned the evening with military precision. If you are resentful because you wanted to drink it yourself, bring flowers next time.
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Charlie Church from Cardiff writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
My mother adds ice cubes to white Burgundy. Can she be stopped?
Aunt Corney replies:
Almost certainly. Should she be? That is another matter. Maintaining cordial family relations takes precedence over correct serving temperature. Christmas is not the time for an intervention.
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Rachel Claire from Dundee writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
Everyone else can apparently taste blackcurrants, pencil shavings and forest floors. I can only taste wine. Am I a philistine?
Aunt Corney replies:
Not at all. Wine tasting is not a competitive sport, despite the behaviour of certain people at dinner parties. Start by noticing whether you like what is in your glass and why. The blackcurrants can come later. If you are feeling intimidated, change social groups or sign up for a wine course.
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Isabel Morgan from Jersey writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
Is it terribly mean to save the really good wine until certain guests arrive?
Aunt Corney replies:
Mean? Obviously. Discerning? Possibly. Just remember that Christmas has a habit of revealing our true character. Hide the Montrachet by all means, but do it discreetly. Just don’t look surprised when you discover they have been doing exactly the same thing to you for years.
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Martin Bell from York writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
What goes with Christmas turkey?
Aunt Corney replies:
Turkey is the least of your problems. It’s the gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, pigs in blankets and twelve other things jostling for attention that complicate matters. Choose wines with freshness and generosity rather than attempting gastronomic algebra. And don’t get me started on the Brussels sprouts.
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Pamela Wright from Norwich writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
What should I drink with Christmas pudding?
Aunt Corney replies:
Something properly sweet. The wine should generally be at least as sweet as the pudding, otherwise it can taste thin and tart by comparison. And please don’t bring out your finest dry Champagne. It has done nothing to deserve such treatment.
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Gordon Fraser from Perth writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
Can I serve good wine in tumblers?
Aunt Corney replies:
Civilisation will continue. Pour the wine. But ask Santa for some decent wine glasses. Good wine deserves some respect.
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Sophie Cartwright from Bath writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
How full should I fill a wine glass?
Aunt Corney replies:
Not to the brim. Ever. This is not last orders at the pub. A third full is quite sufficient. Wine needs room to swirl and release its aromas and, in the case of white wine, you don’t want it warming up too fast, unless of course you’re knocking it back like lemonade. Consider it elegance à la française (not everything about French etiquette is intolerable).
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David Cooper from Belfast writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
There are bits floating in my wine. Is it ruined?
Aunt Corney replies:
Probably not. Sediment is perfectly natural, particularly in older or less heavily filtered wines. Simply pour carefully or decant it off. Tartrate crystals, sometimes rather grandly called ‘wine diamonds’, are harmless too and can indicate that the wine has undergone less processing before bottling. So no, your wine isn’t falling apart.
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Fiona Mercer from Guildford writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
Can I tell somebody they’ve served a wine too warm?
Aunt Corney replies:
Of course. But whether you will be invited back next Christmas is another question.
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Louise Davies from Swansea writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
My brother-in-law has recently ‘got into wine’. How long am I required to listen to him talk about it?
Aunt Corney replies:
Until he uses the word ‘minerality’ for the third time. After that, you are free to refill your glass and find someone who wants to discuss the weather.
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Neil Hendersen from Newcastle upon Tyne writes:
Dear Aunt Corney,
I’ve brought a £50 bottle and somebody has just suggested using it for mulled wine. What do I do?
Aunt Corney replies:
This is an emergency. Remain calm. Retrieve the bottle. Back away slowly. Say nothing that might escalate the situation.
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