12 wines to enjoy over the holidays

Jérôme Peleyras | 12/11/23, 4:47 PM

The festive season is approaching... Gault&Millau gives you its tips on food and wine pairing. A selection of unmissable vintages, starting at 9 euros a bottle.

Every year, it's the same old story: you prepare your festive menu, thinking, of course, about the best wines to accompany your seafood platter or the traditional chestnut turkey. The Guide Jaune suggests wine pairings to suit every moment of the meal and every budget.

Our best wines for the Christmas aperitif

As a festive meal, champagne and sparkling wines will take pride of place on your tables, and it's with them that you'll start the aperitif. Our selection for the aperitif:

Domaine De Sousa, cuvée "Tradition

Tasting notes: a chiselled champagne with perfectly controlled acidity. The finish is saline and salivating.

Price: 40 euros
Rated 95/100 in our "Livre des champagnes".
https://www.champagnedesousa.com

Domaine Étienne Calsac, "L'Échappée Belle" cuvée

Tasting notes: a champagne that's greedy and fresh at the same time. The finish is fruity and taut.

Price: 35-40 euros
Rated 92/100 in our "Livre des champagnes".
https://champagne-etienne-calsac.com

Domaine Sébastien Brunet, "Méthode Traditionnelle" cuvée

Tasting notes: a crémant with delicate effervescence and a creamy mouthfeel. Tension and freshness on the finish.

Price: around 10-15 euros
http://sebastienbrunet.fr

Our best wines for Christmas starters

Now's the time to start with seafood, fish or foie gras. A number of grape varieties, such as Sauvignon, Melon de Bourgogne, Chardonnay or Picpoul, are essential. Here's our selection for starters:

Domaine de Belle-Vue, cuvée Gabbro

Tasting notes: An exceptional Muscadet with roundness and tension, combined with aromatic richness and salinity on the finish. A gastronomic wine!

Price: around 25 euros
Jérôme Bretaudeau's Instagram page

Domaine La Croix Montjoie, "L'Impatiente" cuvée

Tasting notes: a Burgundy from the confidential Vézelay appellation, 100% chardonnay, with roundness and tension, which will go perfectly with vegetable and fish starters.

Price: 15-20 euros
www.lacroixmontjoie.com

Domaine La Croix Gratiot, "Le Syndical" cuvée

Tasting notes : A wine that gives pride of place to Picpoul. A cuvée that goes straight to the point, with citrus aromas and superb length. The ideal companion for seafood platters.

Price: 9-10 euros
https://croix-gratiot.com

Our best wines for Christmas turkey

It's time to get the turkey or capon out of the oven! And for this main course, we've chosen red wines with mellow tannins from different terroirs and grape varieties. Here's our selection for the dish:

Domaine Sant Armettu, "Rosumarinu" cuvée

Tasting notes : Sciaccarellu in all its splendor. A cuvée with the scent of garrigue combined with the roundness of red fruit. A sure value that will delight your guests.

Price: 20 euros
https://www.santarmettu.com

Les Vins de la Madone, cuvée "Dacite

Tasting notes : what elegance! A fine Gamay with a silky mouthfeel. A wine that deserves to be discovered.

Price: 14 euros
https://lesvinsdelamadone.fr

Mas de Libian, "Vin de Pétanque" cuvée

Tasting notes: blended with a majority of Grenache, this is a fruit bomb bursting with gourmandise that will go perfectly with turkey.

Price: 10-11 euros
h ttp://www.masdelibian.com/fr/

Our best wines for Christmas desserts

Dinner's almost over, but before you leave the table, you'll probably be devouring a slice of bûche. It's the perfect opportunity to taste some sweet or muté wines on your table.

Château Laclotte-Cazalis, Sauternes

Tasting notes : a modern sweet wine with freshness and good acidity. The perfect ally for dessert.

Price: 18 euros
https:// laclotte.com

Domaine Castéra, cuvée "Memòria

Tasting notes: we won't soon forget this Jurançon! This demi-sec is an explosion of white and exotic fruit aromas combined with magnificent tension. A real favorite.

Price: 20 euros
https://www.domainecastera.fr

Domaine Singla, Rivesaltes 5 ans d'âge

Tasting notes: this sweet natural wine from Roussillon offers an explosion of aromas typical of amber Rivesaltes (roasted and spicy aromas) combined with beautiful freshness. A meditative wine that goes perfectly with logs, but also blue-veined cheeses such as Roquefort.

Price: 15 euros
www.domainesingla.com

Now that the list has been compiled, you can visit the websites of the above-mentioned estates or go directly to your usual wine merchant for the big day.

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