Wines of the week: 8 wines to drink to celebrate the end of Dry January

The longest month of the year is finally over. If you managed the whole month, you need more than a pat on the back. Here's what to drink for a proper celebration of your hard work, says Terry Kirby

Well done to those regular wine drinkers who have completed Dry January – you have more will power than most, including myself. You should all be proud of having given your body and in particular your liver a chance to rest and recover.

Now that February is here today it is time to relish again the pleasures of the grape. That should not mean getting inebriated at the first opportunity since after a few weeks off, your tolerance level may be a bit lower – it might also be about a rethinking of your consumption habits, to drink less but better wines, to sip and savour, rather than knock back without thinking beyond the alcoholic affect.

What first wine to drink celebrate your achievement? Well, it is a time for some classic wines and obviously it’s time to open a bottle of sparkling wine, since that is always the tipple of choice to mark such an occasion.

And since we are now in the run-up to Valentine’s Day – of which more next week – there are number of good high street deals around, such as the Piper Heidsieck NV Brut (£23, normally £33, until February 14, tesco.com; £30, asda.com; widely available elsewhere) an excellent all-purpose NV champagne, at the lighter end of the champagne spectrum with refreshing orchard-fruit flavours and a hint of brioche.

If you are looking for an English sparkling, then new wines are coming onto the market all the time and one of the best to come to my attention recently is the All Angels Classic Cuvee 2014 (£32.99, thenakedgrape.co.uk). Carefully made from champagne grapes and others on an ancient farm in deepest Berkshire, it’s redolent of summer meadows, apples, pears, elderflowers and a hint of citrus. Open now and think of summer…

Now for three different whites, just to remind ourselves of the virtues of classic, well-made wines that reward those prepared to pay a little extra for quality. And we are also looking for sprightly, vibrant wines that can revive a palate after inactivity and brighten dank February. Michele Chiarlo is one of the big names in Piedmont, in northern Italy, well known for big, ballsy barolos. But they also produce gorgeous complex whites, such as the Michele Chiarlo Rovereto Gavi di Gavi (£17.29, allaboutwine.co.uk; £17.95, winedirect.co.uk). Made from the Cortese grape grown near the village of Gavi itself, this is rich, layered, very dry, slightly spicy, slightly smoky, with lime and pear flavours and a clean, mineral finish. A lovely wine for all kinds of shellfish and lighter white meat dishes.

If you are a sauvignon blanc fan, you have probably been seriously missing the refreshing, zesty, gooseberry and grass flavours of Marlborough sauvignon blanc with fish dishes or salads, so try the Two Rivers Convergence Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (£13.99, frazierswine.co.uk; £14.95, leaandsandeman.co.uk). It’s a beguiling blend from a number of key vineyard sites, delivering characteristic flavours of tropical fruits, citrus, fennel and capsicum, while not being overtly mouth puckering.

Chablis is another palate-reviving wine, but of a completely different character, with pristine, clean, mineral, green fruit and lemon flavours such as the classic Simonnet-Febvre Chablis, Premier Cru Vaillons 2017 (£28.99, waitrosecellar.com), which is ideal with oysters and prime dinner party fish such as turbot or John Dory.

But… it is still a bit bleak and cold outside, so perhaps what you have really missed is a warm, comforting red, particularly if you have also been avoiding red meat during the past month. So, if it’s a big juicy steak you are now allowing yourself, you will be looking for a classic claret to accompany it, so try the Clarendelle by Haut-Brion Medoc, (2015: £18.30, hedonism.co.uk; 2016: £21, laithwaites.co.uk) by the legendary Chateau Haut-Brion and thereby representing the tradition and quality of a great chateau at a decent price. A merlot-dominated blend, with mocha, coffee and cedar notes, it’s a smooth, mouth-filling, comforting wine. For something a little less heavyweight, to match, say pork, roast chicken or a vegetable casserole, then it’s back to Piedmont for the engaging Nebbiolo Langhe, Fratelli Serio e Battista Borgogno 2018 (£16.95, tanners-wines.co.uk). Made from young vines otherwise used for barolo, it’s more cherry than black fruits, but has plenty of structure and substance and a smooth, lush texture. It is also vegan, so fine if you have been converted to a plant-based diet by Veganuary.

After a month of abstinence, my own personal preference would probably be a traditional rioja to accompany that steak or the last of the season’s game, and one of the best I’ve come across recently is the stunning La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva Selección Especial, Rioja 2010 (£22.50, thewinesociety.com; £25, laithwaites.co.uk; 2009: £26.99, or £23.99 if bought as part of mixed six-bottle purchase, majestic.co.uk). It’s a tempranillo/garnacha blend from one of the oldest names in Rioja that will reward you with typical notes of cedar, vanilla, cinnamon and other spices gained from up to three years in oak and vibrant, rich but still youthful blackcurrant and black cherry flavours; all complex, elegant and well structured. The 2010 is said to be one of the best in the history of the Ardanza wine and only the third time the “seleccion especial” accolade has been used, but the 2009, still at Majestic is very, very good as well.

And yes, some of these wines are on the expensive side, but hey, you’ve probably earned it. And if you haven’t, we all need something to fight off February, don’t we?