Christmas Delivery

With the forecast of inclement weather, we would strongly suggest that any orders requiring delivery before Christmas are placed today – Wednesday 15th December – at the latest.
If you are collecting from our shop in Mere, we will remain open until 6pm on Friday 24th December and then re-open at 9am on Wednesday 29th December inclusive.

Yapp Brothers Staff Christmas Wine Suggestions
A straw poll around the office generated lively discussion as to what colleagues will be drinking once we have closed our doors on Christmas Eve. We hope that our selections inspire your Festive food matching!

While there was unanimous agreement that any of the excellent J. Dumangin Fils Champagne would feature strongly over both Christmas Eve and Day, one or two suggested that Clairette de Die Tradition (at just 7% ABV) might be a sensible breakfast tipple for any chefs who are organizing the lunch!

Ex-pat Frenchman, Michael, is toying with either white Cassis Clos Sainte Magdeleine 2008 or Picpoul de Pinet Domaine Peyrificade 2009 with the traditional Gallic starter of oysters, while fellow Bristolian, Richard, is eyeing up Pouilly Fumé Les Loges 2009 en magnum to satisfy the extended family and do justice to a side of smoked salmon.

Few of us could improve on Hamish’s match of a magnum of Châteauneuf-du-Pape Père Caboche in the terrific 2007 vintage to mark the main day, partnered with a rib of beef. Our anglicized dutch colleague, Bianca, will be evoking memories of home with raclette accompanied by the crisp, red Savoie Mondeuse 2008. Vegetarian Michelle will be drinking the ripe, fruity Chinon l’Arpenty 2009 whose soft tannins will complement baked squash and spiced couscous.

Jason will be serving the garrigue-infused Pic Saint Loup ‘Arbouse’ 2008 to his thirsty neighbours on Boxing Day with Jane Grigson’s classic recipe for devilled and pulled turkey. Tom is looking forward to tucking in with Colombian-in-laws and thinks that Richeaume Tradition 2008 might have the versatility to tackle Bandeja Paisa – grilled steak, fried pork rind and chorizo on a bed of rice and red beans that is then topped with a fried egg and a side of sliced avocado and plantain – provided his cargo survives the journey to South America.

Joyeaux Noël and bon apétit,

Yapp Brothers

P.S. Stuck for last minute Christmas gift ideas? A wine gift voucher from Yapp Brothers could be ideal!

In this day and age, I’m conscious that I am showing my age by the fact that I still use a wrist watch as my main means of telling the time. Younger generations are choosing iphones and such like to keep a track on the hours of the day and I’m sure that when my young children learn to tell the time there may well be a new bit of technology that will help them out. My 5-year-old daughter recently laughed out loud when I showed her a photograph of a record player but  she’ll never know the excitement of buying a 45rpm single, or remember the Jam getting five successive vinyl 45s straight to the converted number one slot.  I digress…

Now, working in the wine trade, I’ve come to realise that I’m marking the passing of time in a different way. Last summer, I’d take a favourite wine almost for granted – my first Yapp favourite being the Lirac 2005: La  Famille Maby. A modest collection at home was soon dispatched and replacements sought – easy. Then, just before Christmas, I went to replenish my supplies only to hear the shocking words from our shop manager “we’ve moved on to the 2007 vintage now”.  Don’t get me wrong, the Lirac 2007 is still a great vintage (as it was for the Rhône generally) but it wasn’t my beloved 2005.

I moved house last week and in all the boxing and packing that goes on I could hear bottles being clinked and wrapped back in the old kitchen and, as well as worrying about my guitars being damaged, I was equally concerned about my last bottles of Lirac 2005, Châteauneuf du Pape: Père Caboche 2004 and Saint Joseph 2007: Domaine Georges Vernay.

So, if there is a moral here, it must be to make sure you appreciate your favourite vintages while you can and have a few put aside for another and not necessarily rainy day – you may want to mark the passing of time with an old friend!