Great red and white wines, Champagnes, sweet wines, fortified wines, and spirits are waiting for you in this selection dedicated to Christmas dinner. It includes wines to pair with your starters, mains, cheese and biscuits, and desserts as well as an excellent selection of spirits (whisky, rum, Armagnac, etc.) to round off your meal.
Aperitif
What would you say to serving a delicious foie gras on toast with a wine from Château Guiraud as an appetiser? But there’s a twist; instead of suggesting a sweet wine – the classic foie gras pairing – we are proposing the property’s dry white Grand Vin. Made from Sauvignon Blanc (70%) and Sémillon (30%), this beautiful white spent 12 months ageing in barrels and will coat your palate with its wonderful roundness and create the perfect pairing with the foie gras.
Of course, Champagne is always an option when it comes to an aperitif and there’s plenty of options to choose from. You could opt for a classic non-vintage Brut like Bollinger with its beautiful tautness in a powerful, flavourful body. The cuvée celebrating the birth of Charles Heidsieck 200 ago from the Champagne House that shares his name will also delight your tastebuds when paired with cheese pastry twists, for example. And then, there’s also the vintage Brut from Taittinger which will beautifully highlight the delicacy of caviar.
Starter
If smoked salmon has been selected as a starter, go for a Chablis such as this Chablis Côte Aux Prêtres Château De Béru 2018. The wood-aged wine will pair well with the smokiness of the fish and the acidity in it will cleanse your palate after the oily fish.
For those who prefer to start their Christmas dinner with pâté, may we suggest a Cheval Blanc 2018, a Smith Haut Lafitte or a Pontet Canet 2019. These Bordeaux wines will need to be open and poured into a carafe several hours before the start of your meal.
Main
For turkey lovers, opt for a Châteauneuf-du-Pape to enjoy with your Christmas bird. If you prefer other French regions or even white wine, Aloxe-Corton 2016 from Louis Latour or Macôn-Solutré 2016 by Domaine Robert Denogent are also tempting options.
If a Christmas ham is the centrepiece of your dinner table, a Morgon Vieilles Vignes 2015 from Kévin Descombes or a Riesling 2020 by Zind-Humbrecht are wines to consider.
When fish is your main dish of choice, pop open some bubbly. Vintage Champagnes such as La Grande Dame 2012 from Veuve Clicquot or Cristal 2014 from Louis Roederer are excellent choices.
Dessert
To accompany an apricot tart, a glass of Yquem 2016 – the greatest sweet wine in the world – would end your meal on the perfect sweet note. A Château de Fargues 2002, in this slightly more aged profile, will pair well with your spiced desserts thanks to its jammy fruit, sweet spices and honey flavours.
If you want to travel a little further afield, why not choose a Kapi 2015 (6 puttonyos) by Disznoko? Pair it with some apple strudel and contemplate a little while the complex flavours delight your tastebuds.
Digestif
After enjoying a wonderful meal, a digestif will add one final subtle flavour to savour as you continue to enjoy the company of those around you. How about this lemon liqueur from Roulot?
For the whisky lovers in the house, what do you think about ending your dinner with some Nikka, Johnny Walker or one of the news releases from Benjamin Kuentz?
See our Champagnes, sweet wines, large formats, and mature vintages
