Christmas dinner | Behind the scenes with the iDealwine team

Once again, the iDealwine team is ready for Christmas. Well, not quite all of us…Whilst some are still mulling over their purchases, others are putting together their menus, full of wonderful food and wine pairings. Let’s see what they recommend!

We’ll start our tour of the iDealwine office with the logistics team who are always inspired when it comes to gastronomic choices. Antoine might not yet be sure of the details of his Christmas dinner, but he’s made the most important decision: the wine he’ll be serving. He has gone for two reds – a Hervé Souhaut Syrah for its exceptional fruitiness followed by a Château Le Puy to accompany a plate of red meat. And for the aperitif and dessert? The Rose de Jeanne by Cédric Bouchard, one of the logistics team’s favourite cuvées.

Pierre is also keen on a bit of fizz for his aperitif. This will be served with scallops, followed by a 2016 Meursault by Fanny Sabre to accompany the foie gras. Then he will serve lamb, cooked for 7 hours, with a Château Yvonne 2010 Saumur-Champigny. Intense, complex, and silky. Could he have chosen better? Probably not…

There are two Pierres in the logistics team, and the second one is also planning to serve slow-cooked meat and mushroom sauce with two bottles: Domaine du Collier’s La Ripaille and a Château des Tours. He’ll be kicking off the festivities with the Jacquesson 742 cuvée, and will round things off, at dessert, with an aromatic Condrieu from Yves Cuilleron.

As for Henrique, he is planning to serve the 2016 Chassagne-Montrachet Clos Saint Jean from Paul Pillot with a codfish fillet cooked in olive oil, garlic and red pepper. To go with his apple tart and home-made Chantilly cream, he’ll be bringing a mature Riesling from the Hugel or Weinbach domain to the table.

From the sellers team, Fanny will be putting her own spin on the tradition, casting Champagne aside and choosing fizz from other regions. Triple Zéro from la Taille aux loup, Vouvray from Domaine Huet, and Belluard’s Ayse will have the place of honour alongside the classic foie gras, salmon, and a vanilla, caramel and pecan log.

Let’s move along to client services where Sophie will be trying some new food and wine pairings. The aromas of white fruits in the 2016 Côtes-du-Jura by Berthet Bondet will be lovely with the saline notes from a scallop dish. For the main course, she will be opting for a duck breast with orange, and this will be enjoyed alongside an intense and sunny wine: a 2013 Solen from Domaine les Aurelles.

And finally, this iDealwiner has been planning her Christmas menu for weeks, so we’ll let her explain:

“We’ll begin the festivities with some little aperitifs on a seafood theme (smoked salmon, homemade fish rillettes) that I can’t wait to serve with the new Champagne from our Grand Tasting Club: the Jeanne cuvée from Domaine Virginie Bergeronneau. I’ve never tasted it, but the way Thierry Desseauve describes it in our video really inspired me! I will also be turning to my all-time favourites: Drappier’s brut nature and Bollinger’s Spécial Cuvée.

For the starter, I’ll be serving langoustine ravioli with yuzu sauce. This is a dish that will pair well with a lively, mineral wine such as the Pouilly-Fumé from Michel Redde which, as well as revealing the varietal aspect of Sauvignon Blanc, will bring out the citrus notes. Perfect to go with the yuzu sauce! The second starter will of course be foie gras. Here there are two options: go back to the Champagne from the aperitif, or try another wine, the 2016 Pinot Gris Un Certain Regard by Josmeyer. I’ve never tried Pinot Gris with foie gras, but I imagine its balanced and dry profile will avoid any risk of too much richness, all while offering a certain elegance.

For the main course, it’ll be a capon with a nut crumb (inspired by the one made by chef Mathieu Pacaud), accompanied by a vegetable tart (potatoes, parsnips and onions). This delicate poultry dish will paie just as well with a white wine as with a red. In both cases, I will be looking to the finesse of Burgundy with, for the white, a Mâcon Clos de la Crochette from Héritiers du Comte Lafon and, for the red, a Givry from François Lumpp…if I don’t give in and open my 2017 Savigny-les-Beaunes Premier Cru Aux Fournaux from Chandon de Briailles (though it would be a shame not to let it age some more)  or the Arbois Poulsard from Tissot in the Jura.

Finally, for dessert, I will be making a homemade lemon log to serve with a 2017 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese from the German Markus Molitor. A well balanced wine despite its residual sugar, since it is pleasantly fresh.”

We hope some of these menus have inspired you!

And if you’re still looking for a perfect present, it isn’t too late to offer one of our gift cards – they can be personalised and sent by email!