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What to drink for the Jubilee celebrations
THREE-MINUTE READ
Discover the perfect wines to enjoy over the long weekend of picnics and parties with recommendations from Barbara Drew MW
The Jubilee weekend will be bursting with street parties and celebrations as we raise a glass to Her Majesty the Queen. In my experience, convivial get-togethers call for a certain type of wine – something that’s worthy of the occasion but that is also crowd-pleasing and adaptable. Here, you’ll find four of my go-to wines for parties, along with one very specific recommendation to answer that all important question: what to drink with the Platinum Jubilee trifle?
For street parties and toasts
Berry Bros. & Rudd Champagne by Mailly, Grand Cru, Brut
This is our classic best-selling Champagne. It’s a mix of Pinot Noir (a red grape that adds fruitiness) and Chardonnay (a white grape that adds acidity) and has been aged for three years before release. As well as honey and fruit, you’ll taste a lovely brioche note too.
Dishes that go well with Champagne
There’s no more fitting way to celebrate than with bubbles, and for £32 a bottle (or £70 a magnum – it is a party after all), you won’t find a better Grand Cru Champagne. This is brilliant as an apéritif, suitably delicious for a toast but also – and arguably more importantly – fantastic with almost any type of food. You’ll find the bubbles and acidity cut through even the trickiest flavours, from smoked salmon to coronation chicken.
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Champagne by Mailly, Grand Cru, Brut
For garden parties
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Albariño by Bodegas Sucesores de Benito Santos, Rías Baixas, Spain
Made from the Albariño grape, this is a delicious, slightly fruity, lightly acidic wine that hasn’t been aged in oak. You can expect something that’s more complex than a supermarket Pinot Grigio, with more flavour than a Chablis and more elegance than many Sauvignon Blancs.
Dishes that go well with Albariño
You’ll find this is a wine that can turn its hand to many things. It’s light enough to match very well with salads, seafood and – if you’re firing up the barbecue – grilled vegetables, grilled white meat or fish. It’s also got enough complexity and interest to enjoy nicely chilled on its own.
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Albariño by Bodegas Sucesores de Benito Santos, Rías Baixas, Spain
For red-wine lovers
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Beaujolais-Villages by Louis Claude Desvignes
This is made from the go-to summer red-wine grape, Gamay. It’s a light red which is absolutely bursting with fruit – particularly red cherry and cranberry flavours – plus it’s very approachable and smooth. It’s a sure crowd-pleaser at a very acceptable price.
Dishes that go well with Beaujolais
Because this lighter style of red wine has low amounts of tannin, it can be served slightly chilled. This makes it an especially refreshing and juicy option for lunchtime parties and barbecues. It will work really well with grills, meats, cheeses or even a slice of Victoria sponge.
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Beaujolais-Villages by Louis Claude Desvignes
For barbecues
2018 Berry Bros. & Rudd Zinfandel by Ridge Vineyards, Sonoma County, California, USA
Zinfandel is usually associated with very fruity and often very alcoholic red wines, however this one – made for us by an exceptional Californian winemaker, Ridge Vineyards – is a slightly lighter style. It has the same spice and red berry flavours you would expect from a “Zin”, but without heavy tannins or high alcohol.
Barbecue foods to serve with Zinfandel
This utterly moreish wine is smooth, fruity and spicy. It’s the perfect partner to almost anything you could put on the barbecue from a fat-marbled ribeye steak to seared tuna. Your guests will find it hard to resist.
2018 Berry Bros. & Rudd Zinfandel by Ridge Vineyards, Sonoma County, California, USA
For serving alongside Platinum Jubilee Pudding
2016 Berry Bros. & Rudd Tokaji Aszú, 5 Puttonyos by Oremus
This gem is a stunning sweet wine from Tokaji, one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, situated in the north of Hungary.
Sweet wine to go with Jubilee Pudding
The lemon and Swiss-roll trifle has been created especially for the Queen’s Jubilee, and it’s got a plethora of flavours – such as citrus and amaretti – to partner when it comes to the perfect wine match. Thankfully, Tokaji – one of our favourite pudding wines – has all the elements required to set off this pudding perfectly: lovely lemon and marmalade notes, and a nutty, almond hint on the finish. It is sweet, but also has wonderful acidity: a match made in heaven.
2016 Berry Bros. & Rudd Tokaji Aszú, 5 Puttonyos by Oremus
