Today, I’m not reviewing any one bottle – but rather, a pleasant December’s evening spent at Madame Fromage, the self-proclaimed “best cheese shop in Wales”.

Having not visited them all, I can’t substantiate that claim. But when tickets went on sale to one of their celebrated cheese and wine evenings a few months ago, I was one of the very lucky few. Tickets were available just momentarily, which tells you all you need to know.

The wait was long; for the better part of an hour we huddled in Castle Arcade, one of Cardiff’s famous Victorian shopping corridors. The waiting time at this particular establishment was the subject of mockery from odious Observer food critic Jay Rayner a few months ago, but I was just fine: the sparkling wine and festive snacks helped.

I’ll fast forward: twelve cheeses of Christmas, with half a dozen wines for pairing. That’s in addition to the generous provision of table wine, with which the chap down the table kept generously refilling my glass.

The cheese was very interesting; I particularly enjoyed a crumbly blue and one composed partially of mince pies. ‘Tis the season, after all.

But the wine’s what were here for, and although I was unimpressed with some – a very ordinary Malbec amongst them – others stood out. A Californian Shiraz and a fine French dessert wine were pick of the bunch, overhauling my old fashioned view that a wine has to be dry to be enjoyed with cheese.

Embarrassingly, those are all the details I’ve got. My mouth was full of dairy and I was too sheepish to take many photos. But I intend on going back in the week and investigating the American offering in particular.

The other wine-based story I’ve got to tell – I mentioned a few weeks back that I’ve been buying wine cases from Richard Branson. However, in my eagerness to access the grapey goodness, I didn’t read the small print.

Classic error. Having signed up to the Wine Bank, Dick has been withdrawing £25 a month from my account every month since. When I found out about this, I was furious. Then I stopped being furious for long enough to spend the money that had accrued on a case that came with a free Italian Brut.

I closed the account, obviously, but not before I took delivery of fourteen bottles which will form the basis of my writings for weeks to come; I think the first will be an intriguing white Rioja.

Nevertheless, as the most wonderful time of the year approaches and our wine racks fill up: avoid cases, and pick each wine on its merits. Visit supermarkets and specialist retailers alike and spend your hard earned money on those you really want. And on the basis of my recent experience, I’d pick up some some cheese too.