Christmas Wines: Staff Picks
From all at Les Caves we wish you the merriest of merry Christmases and a sparkling New Year! Whoever you celebrate with and whether you’re carving a turkey, goose or nut roast, we’re sure you’ll be needing a Christmas tipple. With so many decisions to make, food, presents, decorations … we thought we’d offer a helping hand by sharing our festive must-drinks, a sort of Christmas Greatest Hits, consider this our heartfelt festive gift to you!
For Paul Christmas is shaping up to be a rather Gallic affair, with Beaujolais and Jura majoring. At Les Caves we are blessed with wonderful wines from both regions, but for Paul, it’s got to be the beautiful, lithe Moulin-à-Vent from Yvon Metras and his Jurassic potation a Savagnin from Fabrice Dodane (Domaine St. Pierre). For good measure, we are told, he will try and fit in a wine from Alice et OIivier De Moor, perhaps their Bourgogne Blanc Chitry. Joyeux Noël, Paul!
For Line Yuletide is celebrated on Christmas Eve, with the 25th traditionally being played out in a slightly lower key. Last year, however, Champagne was shared and enjoyed with friends and family, “and not just any champagne, Valerie Frison’s Goustan Blanc de Noirs - and it was fantastic! A new tradition that will be happily repeated this year once more…”
Christmas Eve at Chez Moullier is looking decidedly Italianate, with Italian fare on the menu. So, some vino Italiano will be the order of the day (Eve), “probably an old vintage of Macchiona from La Stoppa in Emilia Romagna, and some Marco de Bartoli Marsala to pair with a board of English cheeses!”
Will’s given this some mulling over, his choice (or one of, for is not Christmas a time of abundance?!) is offered with immediacy and not a hint of indecision: “One of the highlights at this year’s tastings, and one that’s sure to make an appearance at the table this Christmas, is Thierry Michon’s fresh, mineral-laden « Les Clous » 2018 from the Fiefs Vendéens (Domaine Saint Nicolas). A blend of biodynamically-grown Chenin and Chardonnay, this offers delicious green apples and ripe pears, bright acidity and fantastic, salty mineral depth. And what would Christmas be without some good ol’ Saint Nick?”
When offering up his festive must-drinks Roman took us on quite the jaunt, for that reason we’ll leave his vinous prose unembellished:
“Domaine St. Pierre Ploussard ‘Le Petit Curoulet’ – I firmly believe this wine should be preserved in a museum somewhere to stand as the benchmark for a pure expression of Poulsard. Bright, perfumed, and snappy, with subtle spicy depths that will make it perfect for the festive table. Or any excuse you can find, really.”
“Ryme Cellars 'Sonoma Fiano' – Ryan and Megan express their love for Italy and wrap it up with a distinctive New-World sheen.Classy, textured, elegant, smoky, herbal, and an all-round delight. I would bathe a turkey in this and call the job done, but I’d rather drink it, so will have to think of a recipe to do the pairing justice.”
We couldn’t work out if Laura was prescribing a liquid lunch, or advocating the dowsing of turkey with wine, when we were told to “forget your cranberry sauce for the turkey, this is pure cranberry juice. Serve with or without turkey just be prepared for the bottle to be finished waaaay too soon.” In any case Laura’s choice is unequivocally, unreservedly, the Calcarius Roz Rosato, a cheeky Puglian number that has taken her - and many a Caviste - by surprise (in a good way) for its skilful balancing of complexity and frivolity.
One of our favourite discoveries last year was that David has a soft spot for the Cesar Florido Cruz del Mar Cream over the festive season: “fantastic with mince pies, Xmas pud and the dozens of chocolates I eat”, particularly whilst partaking in what’s fast becoming a Christmas mainstay, “being thrashed at rude Scrabble by my mother-in-law.”
Now, although we have no intel to confirm that Cesar Florido and rude Scrabble is on this year’s Cañadasian schedule, we have nothing pointing to the contrary either... Needless to say, we wish David the best of luck with his (seemingly futile) attempts to win at rude Scrabble!
We hope we've got you feeling all Christmassy. Find out more about the wines mentioned below:
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