We spent ten days over Christmas in Kleinbottwar – a pretty little wine village in the Württemburg region of Germany on the Murr river, around five kilometres northeast of its confluence with the Neckar river.

Christmas Festivities started on the 23rd. Hot Glühwein was drunk with sausages in the evening with neighbours. There were heaps of home-made sweet biscuits to follow.

On Christmas Eve, champagne and red wines were uncorked and salads, sausages & mash, dumplings, red cabbage, sauerkraut and German cheeses were eaten for supper before opening presents under the Tree.

Christmas Day was warm and sunny and a walk in the vineyards before brunch was the ideal start to the day.

The table for the Christmas Dinner was laid, bottles of Champagne Beaumont de Crayer and Leitz Riesling chilled, Kunstler Spatebugunder uncorked and Vintage champagne decanted. After a moked trout and roasted beetroot starter, a roast rack of pork was served with carrots, sprouts and roast potatoes. A selection of English cheeses from Neal’s Yard and chocolate cake followed.

To celebrate Nick’s birthday on Boxing Day, a sumptuous Sri Lankan breakfast of milk rice, coconut sambal, fish curry mung beans and fresh papaya was prepared.

The long walk in the afternoon took us through vineyards and woods to a BBQ with friends in Steinheim, stopping at regular intervals to drink schnapps and beer.

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