In sunny Brook Street W1, we have the essential supplies for a good – indeed, a fine vintage – Christmas lunch: Champagne, claret and burgundy, and Vintage Port.
We begin with two champagnes from the famed 1945 vintage: Pol Roger and Heidsieck & Co Dry Monopole, which came to us from a cellar in deepest East Anglia.
Then Bordeaux or Burgundy?
We have two bottles of DRC 1975: La Tâche and Romanée-Saint-Vivant.
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DRC Romanée-St-Vivant 1975£1,200.00 -
DRC La Tâche 1975£3,000.00
Not the best-looking bottles we’ve seen – they came from an East Yorkshire cellar – but they have been demonstrably stored in a cool, damp cellar (as they’re supposed to be).
Also on the list is 1937 Sichel & Cie Volnay from an East Anglian cellar.
Our eclectic collection of clarets includes three fine vintages of Château Palmer – 1947, 1949, and 1952.
Two good vintages of Château Lafite Rothschild – the 1962 and the 1950.
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Château Lafite Rothschild 1950£1,200.00 -
Château Lafite Rothschild 1962£840.00
And one of Château Mouton Rothschild – the 1960, with a label by Jacques Villon (1875-1963), whose proper name was Gaston Duchamp.
He was brother of the sculptor Duchamp-Villon and the painter Marcel Duchamp.
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Château Mouton Rothschild 1960£1,200.00
One bottle left of 1970 Château Léoville Barton – the other bottle that we had was opened for professional sampling purposes at our Brook Street neighbours the Savile Club and it was lovely.
Our half-bottle of Château Margaux 1928 came from a cellar in my home county Warwickshire and was featured in the Evening Standard.
We finish our hypothetical Christmas lunch with one of the finest 20th century Port vintages: 1963 Taylor’s.
Same-day delivery in London, if required. Elsewhere please allow five days for delivery.
At which point – I need to lie in a dark room for at least 24 hours…
(And it’s somebody else’s turn to do the washing-up 🧽).