Christmas is a time for novelty purchases. In my case I thought I would buy a bottle of Vida Nova from Adega do Cantor. It was shouting to me from the aisle 'I'm a celebrity...get me out of here!'. So I did.

I had a feeling that Sir Cliff Richard's wine would spark off debate over the festive period, especially amongst those who saw him liken his own wine (in a blind tasting) to vinaigrette on an old episode of Gordon Ramsay's F Word back in 2006. I do rather suspect he had been set up for a fall, coming down from tasting a very expensive, exquisite bottle first. His palate was in a state of shock meeting the more ordinary again.

The context of your palate is incredibly important, for example a red you were enjoying while eating a main course can be suddenly bitter and unpalatable when put up against a pudding.

It appears that Sir Cliff is not just mentioned for celebrity endorsement. I quote from the website -

'Sir Cliff is very much involved in producing the wine. When in Portugal he is often seen getting his hands dirty in the vineyard or indeed his feet dirty in the winery'

I have to say that phrase is certainly slightly off putting for some reason. What is encouraging is the amount of investment in people and infrastructure that Sir Cliff has made to get it 'right'. He has used award winning consultant wine maker David Baverstok, a sort of flying wine maker, bringing innovative modern techniques from Australia's 'New World'. This wine has pedigree.

The bottle is very tall and lanky, head and shoulders above the rest, but somehow avoids looking awkward and gangly. The label is simple with a central piece of artwork contributing a pleasant splash of colour. The foil is surprising, as it is thick and heavy, which certainly adds to the perception that there has been no expense spared on the packaging.

The cork has, you guessed it, Sir Cliff's signature on it, and is long, requiring a purposeful pull.

The blend is 70% Syrah (Shiraz), 20% Aragonez (grape synonyms strike again as it is actually Tempranillo the main grape used in Rioja) and 10% Alicante Bouschet (a cross of Grenache and Petit Bouschet, created in 1866 by Henri Bouschet specifically to create a deep dark colour).

At 14%ABV and with those powerful grapes inside, it sounds like a big wine is going to be unleashed.

Dark in the glass, gripping the sides with purpose. It was thick and rich with a slightly bitter liquorice aftertaste which was a little bit too prevalent. It reminded me of some of the robust wines I drank on a trip to Portugal.

Almost like Port without the fortification.

I actually really liked it, but found that one small glass was enough. The large hit of this formidable wine overpowered my senses. A wine to be appreciated not quaffed.

So I took the remainder of the bottle to a friends house party to finish. This is where things got interesting. It, unlike most of the other wines there, caused much discussion. One guest was very anti the whole Sir Cliff Richard wine thing, and despite never having tried it, thought the sink was the best place for the stuff. Others decided it was too heavy for party fodder.

Whether you find that the presence of Sir Cliff helps or hinders, the wine itself is pretty good, just not my kind of regular drinking bottle. It perfect for a one off with a hearty full flavoured meaty meal if you have about £7.00 to spare.

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