My mother loves fizz and on her birthday recently I popped a bottle of Bollinger Grande Année Rosé 2004.
It was amazing to see her glee at the first sip – a massive grin in a single slurp!
Mother’s Day on March 10 is another chance for us to raise a glass, and pink bubbly is a great option, but there are a couple of thoughtful wine tricks you can play to really make your mum feel special.
First up, ask yourself: is your mum a fan of sweet or savoury flavours?
If she has a sweet tooth, there’s a whole stash of options.
Fizz can be sweet and frothy – Asti Spumante is always fun, or try a really classy drop of Moscato d’Asti, which is similar but more gently bubbly, absolutely sherbet-licious and a real treat – swig.co.uk has Moscato Bricco Cardogno Rinaldi 2011, for £12.95, which they gloriously suggest serving ice cold with a slice of panettone, a gem of an idea.
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Chocolate and wine is a bumper gift on Mother’s Day and could hit the spot.
But with so many different styles of chocolates and flavours of wine, it can be a tough one to nail.
Ask Olly...Jim recently opened a bottle of red that smelled musty but tasted OK. Is it off?The wine could be mildly corked or tainted but I’d need to taste it first-hand to diagnose it exactly. If there is any doubt, always take your bottle back to the shop with your receipt and ask for a replacement of the same bottle.
If your mum loves dark chocolate, port is a surprisingly luscious pairing – late bottled vintage (LBV), in particular, from names such as Quinta do Noval, Warre’s and Taylor’s which are pedigree names, but sometimes it pays to seek out a wonder such as Sandeman LBV 2007 (20.5 per cent) in Waitrose for £14.99.
Or because it’s Mother’s Day, why not splash out and detonate a glass or two of Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos 2001 (20 per cent), in Sainsbury’s for £26.37?
This rich, sweet and spicy giant of a wine is exuberant and proudly extravagant. Snap a few cubes of dark chocolate and give mum a treat after lunch next week.
Wine Rules: No 37Salty flavours in food work well with a bit of acidity and freshness in wine.Smoked salmon and Champagne is a classic example. But salt in food makes tannin taste edgy and bitter so avoid big chunky reds with salty flavour
Or, for a crazy contrast of the sweet with salty, Roquefort paired with Sauternes from France or a fab value Australian sticky should be officially dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World. The flavours contrast and offset each other perfectly. Thrilling.
Alternatively, a sweet, rich PX sherry poured over vanilla ice cream is out and out one of the sweetest wine treats in the world.
Serve a single scoop in an espresso cup and tip the chilled wine over the top to make mum grin.
If, on the other hand, you’re planning to cook your mum dinner of steak or a roast, a classy, aged red is just the job.
More from Olly Smith... OLLY SMITH: A grill's best friend: It's barbecue time... and these sizzlers will go with a banger! 29/05/13 OLLY SMITH: The name’s Blanc... Sauvignon Blanc: Bond star Roger finds it very Moore-ish. Here's why 22/05/13 OLLY SMITH: Try a suaver Italian... by sampling Italy's unusual suspects - and a smoother Soave 15/05/13 OLLY SMITH: My crafty pint cost £5,000 01/05/13 OLLY SMITH: Iconic, ever-changing, maturing gracefully - Riesling is the 'gloriously naked' Madonna of wines 24/04/13 OLLY SMITH: The surge in brilliant Bordeaux under £20 to cheer me up 17/04/13 OLLY SMITH: The Pink Floyd of pinot costs £1,800 a bottle, but I've found something else with two noughts knocked off 12/04/13 OLLY SMITH: Perfect pizza partners: How to make the right choice of wine 05/04/13 OLLY SMITH: Try some new wild flavours in the wine aisles this Spring 27/03/13 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEServe up something with complexity and finesse that will create a royal moment.
Aged Barolo from Italy, a Spanish Gran Reserva Rioja or a top-notch Portuguese red all deliver that earthy richness that pairs superbly with the depth and texture of a meaty roast.
But if it’s simply the wine you want to showcase, you’re best off picking a zesty, fresh white to deliver a turbo-boost of dazzling ping into the proceedings.
It’s hard to deny the crowd-pleasing appeal of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and there are plenty of good producers to choose from, such as Blind River, available in Majestic, or top-notch Greywacke that comes from the chap behind Cloudy Bay, which you can find on slurp.co.uk.
But what mums really deserve is a bit of time to themselves. So give her a wine to enjoy with her favourite TV show, or engrossing book for the big day, and let her relax.
You might grab a copy of Helen Warner’s latest book Stay Close To Me – about a mum, her two grown-up daughters and the secrets they’re all keeping – and paired with a glass of cool, pink bubbly, a comfortable chair and a nice hug, you’ll make her Mother’s Day.
Sainsbury's Vinho Verde NV £4.49. It's a simple refresher with a spritz that's perfect for parties or a midweek aperitif. Lemony, light and, at this price an impressive white with just 9% alcohol.
Wine news
Dom Pérignon Rosé 2002 is released! It is supremely balanced between powerful red fruit flavours from Pinot Noir and rounder floral Chardonnay notes. If you feel like splashing out for a celebration, grab yourself a bottle and revel in its splendour, around £204.
