Wine Club 24 November

I take something of a head-in-the-sand approach to Christmas. Despite the bloody supermarkets and high-street stores trumpeting the forthcoming festivities pretty much from the August bank holiday onwards, I feel that if I ignore it, it might just go away. It never does, of course, but it’s worth a try.

We’re not even into Advent yet, but I guess we have to bite the bullet and prepare ourselves. And so it is that I am delighted to present to you a Christmas-appropriate selection of own-label vino from our sainted friends at Corney & Barrow.

Own-label wines are notoriously tricky to get right and if anyone has cracked it, it’s the C&B gang. The Corney & Barrow Sparkling Blanc de Blancs NV (1) is a perfect example. A fizz of great style and elegance, it’s a commendably complex blend of carefully selected parcels made under the watchful eye of the team at Boisset, based in the heart of Burgundy. It’s delightfully fresh and lively and, thanks to 12 months resting on the lees, creamy and slightly toasty, too. The bottle looks dead pukka and I’d rather have this than a green and acidic supermarket champagne any day of the week. It’s a steal and Corney’s wouldn’t put their name to it if it wasn’t first-rate. £11.66 down from £12.95.

Talking of bargains, the 2017 Corney & Barrow Blanc (2) is just such another. A light, fresh and disarmingly undemanding half-and-half blend of Ugni Blanc and Colombard made by the much-lauded Producteurs Plaimont co-operative in Gascony, it’s the perfect crowd-pleasing wine, ideal for when the neighbours crash in carrying a bit of a thirst. It might score low on depth and complexity, but it scores full marks for downright drinkability and modesty of price.