Discover our advice on the best food and wine pairing for your holiday meals!

The holidays are approaching and with them, the inevitable meals. Let’s face it, it’s a pleasure to lovingly choose, one by one, the wines that will accompany each step of the great Christmas meal. A sort of quest for the Grail…
But, with more than 200 wine varieties to choose from – how do you know which are the best wines to drink at Christmas?

Discover our advice on the best food and wine pairing for your holiday meals!

What do you drink with oysters and seafood?

A dry and fresh white wine is the perfect accompaniment to seafood and oysters as an aperitif.

At the beginning of the meal, dry white wine awakens the palate perfectly, without saturating it or weighing it down, in anticipation of the rest of the meal.
With seafood, wines from the Loire Valley are popular, and with good reason: elegance for Crémant de Loire, aromatic complexity for Quincy, finesse for Sancerre.
You can’t go wrong!

For oysters, dry white wines are also a perfect match. The saline persistence will allow to accompany at best the iodized points of the oyster. With wines from the Sauvignon grape variety, they form a winning duo. A refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, like the La Fleur des Pins white, would be the best choice you could make.

If you prefer red, we recommend the Fleurie Domaine Montangeron 2020. This bright, floral, fruit-forward red is ideal for pairing with seared fish, like tuna and salmon.

Bubbles and foie gras

Foie gras is another classic at the beginning of the meal.
Do you want to know another classic with foie gras? Sauterne.
These two combined together are a classic in the French gastronomy.

Normally, sweet wines are relegated to the dessert and cheese courses but the one exception is Sauternes. This sweet wine with a apricot, citrus, grapefruit and ginger aromas is the best combination with foie gras because the riche creamy texture blends with it well.

For this winning combination, try out our L’Ilot de Haut Bergeron, a Sauterne wine from two 8th generation winemakers in the region of Bordeaux.

The traditional capon and wine star of the meal

During a meal, it is during the main course that you open the star wine of the evening: more dense, more concentrated, more tannic.
The palate is in appetite, the taste buds are awake, the dish placed in the middle of the table is the main course of the meal.
So don’t hesitate to open the bottle for special occasions.
The traditional capon, like all other poultry, is a meat with white flesh and relatively dry.
For this pairing, it is advisable to go for aromatic, fruity red wines with a few years of maturation to bring a little fat and roundness.
An ideal balance? Try our Burgundy pinot Domaine de la Thalie that pairs perfectly with tasty meats.

The Domaine Deveney-Mars 2018 – Savigny les Beaunes 1er Cru that you might have tried in our Premium French Wine Packages is as well undeniably delicious with these traditional roasted birds.

Want to stay with white wine?
A white wine from Chablis will do the trick. A fruity wine, but without excess of power will be well adapted for this tasting. Try the Chablis 1er Crus Montmains, this wine without excess of power will be well adapted for your main course and allows you to taste the richness of the great wines of France.

What food and wine pairing with the Buche de Noel dessert?

The traditional meal ends with the famous and excellent Buche de Noel.

The bûche de Noël goes perfectly with a sweet white wine, such as a Sauternes. You can also choose a sweet red wine. For an ice log, it is best to choose a wine at room temperature.

Want to know more about wine pairing with the “buche de noel”, a french dessert tradition ? Check our latest blog to finish your Christmas dinner with the perfect combinaison.

The Spirit of Christmas; The Spirit of Giving

Whatever your holiday plans may be this year, a fantastic bottle of French wine will always pair well with the twinkle of Christmas lights. If you decide to try some of our recommendations for amazing somMailier French wine with American traditions, tag us on Instagram: @sommailierwineclub. With somMailier’s effortless delivery, you can join our club and have 3, 6, or 12 bottles of boutique French wine shipped to your front door quarterly or order some of your favorites, including the ones mentioned above. You can also gift wine to a loved one! Then, no matter how many miles apart you may be, you can say “Santé et Joyeux Noël” over Zoom while enjoying the same wine.

SHOP THE PAIRINGS

Cranberry Brie Bites:  Domaine Deveney-Mars 2018 – Savigny les Beaunes 1er Cru

Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans, Other Greens: La Fleur Des Pins white

Macaroni & Cheese: Via Caritatis Lux in Domino red

Mashed Potatoes, Potatoes Au Gratin, Sweet Potato Casserole: Château Bonnange red

Roast Turkey, Goose, Duck: Domaine Deveney-Mars 2018 – Savigny les Beaunes 1er Cru

Ham: Château de Portets

Shellfish: La Fleur des Pins white | Cremant de Loire | Domaine Montangeron

Lasagna: Château Bonnange red

Beef Dishes (roast, prime rib): Margaux – Denis Lurton 

Fish: La Fleur Des Pins white | Fleurie Domaine Montangeron

Foie gras : L’Ilot de Haut Bergeron  

Pizza Delivery: Château Haut-Calens

Chinese Take-Out: Brouilly Saint Lager | Cuvée Engelgarden Riesling

Premium Wine Packages for the Holidays: All Red Wines | Two Red Wines, One Champagne

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Want to learn more about French wine? We’re here to help! Why not check out our French wine club? Every three months we send direct to your door three, six, or twelve bottles of boutique French wines which have been carefully selected by wine experts in France along with detailed information about each wine and food pairing ideas to help you really discover French wine. And as if that wasn’t enough, we also have a wine club gift option for that special wine lover in your life! For the perfect last minute gift, send one of our digital gift cards.

We are also offering free shipping on 12-bottle orders within the continental US (including our 12-bottle Club Et Voila and Et Voila Gift options). We are also offering 50% off shipping of 12-bottle orders to Hawaii. Mix and match your favorites from our wine cellar, or stock up with 12 bottles of your favorite.

Julia is happy to help with any custom orders. Please reach out to her via email at julia@sommailier.com.