Colin Hampden-White
Guides, Wine, Christmas
Colin Hampden-White
Guides, Wine, Christmas
Christmas morning is an exciting time, and if one is just getting going on the Christmas drinks there is a great deal of choice. From light, easy going drinks to ease you into Christmas gently, to drinks with a bit of a hit, to non-alcoholic beverages with lots of flavour, Christmas is a special time and therefore special drinks are needed. One’s normal morning orange juice might need a bit of a spruce up and the coffee might need a little kick. Whatever budget you are on this Christmas there should be something for everyone out there to make the day begin with a bang.
Classic Bucks Fizz/Mimosa
The classic morning drink for Christmas is orange juice with a little fizz in it. There are plenty of options for adding fizz to orange juice, from Cava, prosecco or Crémant to decadent Champagnes and even a little spirit should one need the extra pick me up.
Budget:
Vineyards Bucks Fizz
My first suggestion makes life very easy. One doesn’t even have to mix the drink oneself as it comes premixed and ready to pour. I’m not usually a fan of premixed drinks made from concentrates, but this little offering has managed to get the balance just right. Not too sweet or sharp it slips down nicely and would be a lovely way to start the day.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 4%
Find it here: £2.75
Tesco Cava Brut Non Vintage
If you have the orange juice and need a little something to add to it, I think this is excellent value. Cava has been much maligned in years gone by, and with good reason. The quality was a little lacking and this was represented by the super cheap deals. Cava is still a great deal less expensive than other sparkling wines, and I’d choose it over Prosecco for this drink. Cava has a little more body than Prosecco which will stand up to the acidity of the orange juice and give some wine flavours too. This example isn’t too heavy on the alcohol, but still has the flavour, and would make a great start to Christmas.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 11.5%
Find it here: £5.85
Edenvale Sparkling Cuvee
No and low wines have until recently not been very good. Finally one comes along which is not expensive and still has lovely freshness and flavours. Made in Australia from Semillon grapes, it begins its life as a normal wine and then using a centrifuge, they remove the alcohol, but not the flavour. There are flavours of ripe apple, a touch of tropical fruit and a big dollop of lemon which will all mix nicely with orange juice.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 0.05%
Find it here: £4.99
Vinada Crispy Chardonnay
With no alcohol at all this is a very tasty sparkling wine. It is akin to an unoaked Chardonnay with lots of fruity flavours like apples, honeydew melon and citrus. Made as alternative to alcoholic wine, this sparkler is great for mixing with orange juice.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 0%
Find it here: £9.99
Mid Tier
Sipful Blood Orange Mimosa
Continuing on from budget ready-made drinks, for those of us who can’t be bothered to mix our own, is this brilliant offering from Sipful. Made with natural blood orange juice, and organic sparkling wine, it has zingy, zesty flavours which will certainly get go going and ready for the rest of the day.
Size: 4x250ml
ABV: 4.5%
Find it here: £14.45
Veuve Monsigny
Made by the Phillizot family whose top wines can be found in Michelin star restaurants around France, and made from all their own grapes, Veuve Monsigny can be found in Aldi and represents one of the best value Champagnes on the market. With a zesty yet smooth palate, and for drinking by itself best laid down for 6 months, this wine is great with orange juice and makes a very, very good Bucks Fizz.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find it here: £14.99
Blowout
At a blowout budget, there is often little point in mixing the great champagnes of the world with orange juice. Not only will it do the champagne down, but it will also not actually do the drink any good. Most big rich and complex champagnes will fight with, rather than compliment orange juice. For example, there are yeasty flavours in aged vintage Champagnes that will certainly not go with orange juice, but here are a few luxury options that do work.
Troo p*rnstar Martini co*cktail
For a premixed drink, I would either buy the Sipful mentioned above or for a more luxurious experience the Troo p*rnstar Martini is extremely good. As good as any made from fresh in a bar, this has passion fruit, premium vodka, passoa, freshly squeezed lime juice and their own vanilla infused sugar syrup. It’s a little punchy on the alcohol in the morning, but it will easily take being let down with extra passion fruit for a longer, well balanced Christmas morning drink.
Size: 500ml
ABV: 19%
Find it here: £25
Mercier Brut
Mercier is a very overlooked Champagne outside of France, where they drink a lot of it and it is very well known. It’s an old Champagne house having been founded in 1858 and uses all three traditional grape varieties for Champagne. It has classic flavours of lemon and some biscuity flavours from its 2-3 years of aging on lees. In my opinion, it’s a champagne that is just as good if not better than many grand marque champagnes for a little less.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find it here: £30.49
Old vintage Champagne doesn’t really suit a Bucks Fizz or Mimosa, however young vintage Champagne can do and this offering from Taittinger goes extremely well with orange juice. With huge amounts of complexity including peaches, lime, honeysuckle and orange blossom, the champagne is young enough not to have all the yeasty, biscuity flavours yet, so balances perfectly with the fruit juice. Definitely, a decadent way to start the festivities.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find it here: £57.95
Once awake and refreshed, it might be time to think about something to eat. There are some drinks that are a meal in themselves, and I can think of nothing better than a Bloody Mary. Head over to my next article to see what I recommend to drink mid-morning!
Words by Colin Hampden-White
