This may be my last year of drinking wine so I hope to go big. I bought a 2006 Cheval Blanc for probably my one and only taste of the producer that I plan on opening.
Just the other day I made a post about how much I really appreciate Thatcher’s service and I’ve had similarly great service from EWR folks. Oh if you buy from @ThatcherBakerBriggs then use his/their “WBERK5” promo code for 5% off just for wine berserkers like yourself.
Happy holidays to all. Take care of yourself and each other
I’m aiming for beef roast dinner just before the 49er game that night, sides and snacks along the way. So, I’m thinking of Les Fiefs de Lagrange Saint Julien Bordeaux, their 2nd label, around $40 in my area. Nothing splashy and exorbitant, but solid. Thanksgiving 2019, I had their 2014 vintage which was singing nicely.
Right now, I’m thinking New World for Christmas Eve and Old World for Christmas Day:
12/24
King Family (VA) Blanc de Blancs
2019 La Pelle Bien Nacido Chardonnay (with our usual “Feast of the One Fish”, Aglio e Olio with Shrimp)
1994 Beringer Nightingale
12/25
Roederer 242
2016 Clos Fourtet (with smoked leg of lamb, Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes and roasted carrots)
1994 Croft VP (opened the night before)
Have been thinking about this a lot, in between writing 2022 Burgundy tasting notes…
Christmas Eve:
1983 Niellon Bâtard with foie gras
1921 Montrose or 1991 Truchot Charmes with venison, can’t decide which
Christmas Day:
2010 Selosse Vintage & 2015 U Collin Roises with smoked salmon
1993 Haut Brion in magnum with poularde
1963 Quinta do Noval with Christmas pudding
First time we will be hosting Christmas, and since it is in Vienna with the family all travelling from Denmark, it will be several days of feast and drinking. Haven’t decided on what will be drunk on which days, but have gotten the following wine shipped from Danish off-site, and am sure they will all be consumed… And yes it is a lot of wine - but we are big group and it is across several days =)
White Burgundy:
Henri Germain Meursault 20
Simon Collin Chassagne 21
Bruno Lorenzon Mercurrey 1er Champs Martin Blanc 2020
Bruno Lorenzon Mercurrey 1er Piece 15 2019
Guffens Heynen Macon-Pierreclos ‘Juliette et les vielles de Chavigne’ 2018
Guffens Heynen Pouilly Fuisse 1. Jus des Hauts des Vignes 2018
Like @G_Curd said, what’s your address again? As a true son of Maine, lobster for Christmas sounds amazing!
At our place, likely going to be a grilled version of Julia Child’s Dijon-garlic leg of lamb with Burgundy. Likely open with a white Burg and then shirt to a red: Fourrier, Berthaut-Gerbet or a Vosne Beaux-Monts.
Many times a year while in Montreal we would do “Guédilles au homard” with Louis Michel Chablis. Good times. It’s basically a lobster roll. We would get them for 7 CAD a pound (4.50 USD). Many lobsters would die. Many grapes would be sacrificed. Many people would leave happy.
Some of these meals just sound truly amazing. I am jealous of some of the Christmas//Holiday meals and wines I will be missing. Family and fellowship is the most important part of the holiday for me, but my gosh some of these pairings might make me take a year off from family to travel and have Christmas with some berserkers .
I will be roasting a 60lb pig “Cuban style” in a Caja China on our traditional Christmas Eve celebration, Nochebuena. It’s a full day affair so I will start with some bubbles. Probably Billecart just not sure yet. Trying to figure out the rest of the lineup. I usually go with Spanish Riojas but I want to try something new. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
We used to go back East for the holidays, but since the pandemic, family dynamics have changed, and we have stayed in SoCal. It will be just us two and my dog for a third year in a row.
I’m debating the food menu. I want to make duck, but my husband is not a fan, so it will most likely be beef.
Food:
starter: caviar or smoked salmon (Most likely the latter, since I have yet to get organized and order anything).
Salad with little gem lettuce and whatever looks fresh
Main: ribeye roast sous vide & reverse sear with red wine pan sauce, fingerling potatoes and string beans (if the string beans look fresh - otherwise some other vegetable)
dessert: Probably poached pears in crème anglaise.
Wines:
Chavost Eureka or 2004 Ployez Jacquemart Liesse d’Harbonville
2011 Domaine de la Janasse CdP Vielles Vignes (opening this more for my husband than me. I strongly disliked my prior three bottles of this) or, if I can find the bottle 2012 Conti Costanti Brunello. I’ll probably drink champagne with the roast.
2003 La Tour Blanche Sauternes. I know it’s heresy, but LTB is my favorite sauternes.
Opening a first bottle of Kinsman Eades cab from the stash ('16 Anjea) and maybe the received today Kobayashi Sans Souf. Christmas day, a mag of 2014 Beckman “Red” (mostly syrah, tiny bit of grenache).
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2012 Conti Costanti Brunello. I’ll probably drink champagne with the roast.