Not your standard fizz: New Year’s Eve party drinks with a difference
If you’re reading this, well done. It means you’ve survived the most expensive, sociable and digestively taxing part of the holiday season. Now you can focus all your efforts on getting through Twixmas (a phrase I prayed wouldn’t catch on) and the New Year’s Eve party. Livers and wallets, rejoice.
Perhaps you’re hosting such a party. On reflection, I feel last week’s column portrayed me as a little “anti-party”. It’s not that I’m allergic to them; more that I just can’t stand how they often bring out the worst in even the most unflappable friend. Hosting should be simple and, above all, not leave you deflated or penniless – or both. Plus, if you’re planning on giving up booze for January, you had better make these last few drams count, before you spend the whole of the next month grumbling about how expensive non-alcoholic options are and wishing you were drinking a pint of Guinness.
I’m going to suggest some drinks for a more peaceful New Year, unlikely to leave you with a sore head on 1 January. There’s sparkling wine, obviously; but a good, dry, unfussy fizzy cider works excellently, too, and rarely gets much of a look-in at this time of year.
If you’re looking for something shareable that won’t get you too mischievous, there’s soju, a Korean drink distilled from rice and most popularly flavoured with various fruits. I first got to know soju by drinking improperly at a festival, then got to know it better when enjoying it more sensibly at Korean barbecues. Currently, the most popular (and readily available) styles are about 13%, which is more or less the average ABV for wine. Like wine, it’s enjoyed neat, but unlike wine it’s usually enjoyed in shot glasses and shared between friends. Traditionally, you’re not supposed to serve yourself, instead filling the glasses of those around you, which means you can keep a closer eye on how much you’re drinking, which is handy if you’re planning a light evening. If you’re not, serve your soju neat with ice, and prepare for the buzz to sneak up on you.
I’ve already waxed lyrical about my fetish for bag-in-box wine, and magnums are also a good way to feed the 5,000 if you’re inviting a particularly thirsty group of friends over. But, honestly, I’m sure they’ll have a great time whatever you pour. Don’t fuss, fret and wish you’d done better – you’ve got all of next year for that.
Four bottles to see you into 2025
Jinro Green Grape Soju £6.95 (350ml) Sainsbury’s, 13%. Smooth, bright and good for sharing. Clean, green taste. Serve straight from the fridge.
Veuve Monsigny Champagne Brut £14.99 Aldi, 12.5%. A reliable supermarket champagne at a price I always look twice at.
Oliver’s Vintage Fine Cider 2022 £12.98 (750ml) Oliver’s, 9.5%. A lower ABV than a sparkling wine and a subtle oak influence make this a delicious alternative to your typical fizz.
Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2022 £49.50 (in magnum, or £43.95 by a case of six) Lea & Sandeman, 13.5%. Succulent purple fruit and flowers. A unique terroir gives a style somewhere between aromatic fleurie and concentrated moulin-à-vent.
