The Perfect Wine for the Holidays
With the holidays fast approaching, many people have been asking about the best holiday wine to serve with dinners. This is such a tough question to answer, mainly because there are many factors involved into the answer.
For example.
How many people are attending? You certainly may not want to open 10 bottles of Louis Roederer Cristal Brut, at $400 a bottle if you plan on hosting 30 individuals from your office.
What are you serving for the party, dinner or gathering? You may not want the boldest Cabernet if your family is hosting a feast of seven fish on Christmas Eve. (it has always been a grammatic pet peeve of mine we always called it the feast of seven FISHES).
Who is coming to the party? If your boss is coming or your favorite aunt is coming, the $5 convenience store bottle may not be the way to go.
My recommendations.
Always consider the audience and the cuisine. If this is a dish everyone has become accustomed to eating, then everyone would be familiar with the flavors. That being said, any subtle change to its flavor profile, everyone will notice. This would be the perfect opportunity to bring out a great bottle. The nuances of the wine will not be lost or overpowered by the food because everyone has a preconceived idea of the food’s taste. An almost, “going through the motions” in tasting. I know what the manicotti at my father-in-law’s house will taste like because I have had it countless times and it never loses its pop. It is perfect. A great bottle of Martha’s Vineyard would be perfect for this occasion.
https://www.heitzcellar.com/purchase-2/marthas-vineyard-cabernet-sauvignon-oakville-napa-valley/
Conversely, if we decide to have something new or unexpected, it is not that I do not want to open the $250 bottle of Martha’s Vineyard, but I may save it for an occasion that it will not be lost on. If a new dish is being tried, everyone will focus on the nuances in the dish and the wine will be the complimentary variable. And though that is ok, not the goal with this article.
Now for the bubbly
Ahhhhh, the bubbly – we do love our bubbly over the holidays, don’t we? But good grief, an entry level bottle from Champagne, France (the only place allowed to use the word Champagne outside of a few grandfathered-in vineyards) can cost anywhere from $50-$100. ENTRY LEVEL!! As stated earlier, a bottle of Cristal which is Louis Roederer’s Flagship or “tête de cuvée” can run a person $350-$400 a bottle. So, Champagne may not be the best option especially when popping the cork and possibly wasting 1/3 bottle while just opening it. Depending on your skill, I guess.
I always advise people to check out the Crémant from the region of Alsace. Crémant is just a fancy word for sparkling and in France any sparkling made outside of Champagne is essentially a Crémant. There are some other phrases used for sparkling but the big one is “Crémant.” Aging requirements are very similar to Champagne. Grapes used are very similar to Champagne (if not the same). Entry-level for a Crémant de Alsace? $15-$20. AND, I promise, you will not be disappointed.
https://www.wine.com/product/lucien-albrecht-cremant-dalsace-brut/12033
So, in summary
Look for a few bottles of Crémant de Alsace. Two bottles will run you about $30-$40 and people will swoon over the tasty bubbly goodness.
And
If dinner is an expected flavor and if it’s with those you absolutely love, go BIG! It is the holidays – splurge, because, if not over the holidays and on others, then when?
If dinner is a surprise or something no one has tasted before, maybe a bottle with a cool story you know or heard at the local wine shop. Because, stories sell the product. Flavor is a piece, but the story is what turns a good wine into a great, memorable wine.
Cheers.
