French Wines at Christmas, Part Two - whites, sparkling and digestifs

Which French white wines to serve at Christmas?

In part one we discussed the best red wines for roast turkey and the Christmas cheeseboard, so in part two we look at the tricky business of finding white and sparkling wines from France. 

Apéritifs, party drinks and starters

If it's celebratory wine you need, then of course you can never go wrong with real French Champagne! The big brands - Moët and Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, Bollinger, Krug, Taittinger... None of them make bad fizz to go with your pre-dinner nibbles or smoked salmon starter at Christmas! Although it's always worth looking beyond the iconic names and trying a lesser known producer.

But if it's quantity you're looking for a larger occasion then perhaps you'll be looking for a more reasonably-priced fizz. Crémant de Loire's main grape is chenin, so expect fresh minerality with delicate fruits. If you love Champagne then try Crémant de Bourgogne which uses the same grape varieties (Pinot and Chardonnay). If it's dry and crisp you like best, opt for Crémant d'Alsace from further north. 

Our top tip for fabulous fizz is a relatively unknown wine - Blanquette de Limoux from just south of the Medieval fortress of Carcassonne, the end point of our Mediterranean tour. Sparkling Blanquette predates Champagne by a couple of centuries, and as wine critic Victoria Moore says in the Telegraph, “In Limoux they make really, really good sparkling wine. Not just good. It’s distinctive, with a fresh, edgy air of hedgerows and meadows and wild countryside... When it comes to choosing between discount-store champagne and a crémant at a similar price, there’s no contest when it comes to quality – Crémant de Limoux every time.”

Next on the list is still white wine: fish and seafood often features in festive starters or canapés, so look for a Loire white (Sauvignon or Chenin Blanc), or alternatively a Picpoul de Pinet from the Languedoc, a classic with shellfish. 

Difficult to acquire outside France is Pineau de Charente, a lovely light but sweet wine often served as an aperitif. Easier to come by overseas is Crème de Cassis from Burgundy. A splash in a glass of white wine makes a kir, or you could go one step further and make a kir royale with sparkling wine.

Whites for a traditional Roast Turkey

Turkey is quite delicate in flavour and in particular its low fat content means that there is little to soften the tannic edge of more robust reds, so stay away from reds with high tannin content like younger Bordeaux wines. However, consensus amongst wine and food pairing experts is that white wine, in particular chardonnay, is the ideal partner for turkey.

When considering white chardonnay, Bourgogne (Burgundy) and Chablis immediately spring to mind. The communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet are probably the pinnacle of the white winemaker’s art, and command suitably elevated prices. You can taste these on our Burgundy bike vacation! The co-operative at Buxy also has many deliciously affordable white oak aged Chardonnay wines, and after bringing home a few cases over the years we can whole-heartedly recommend their Montagny Premier Cru! Even more reasonable wines are available from the Bourgogne Côtes Maconnais region – same grape variety, same area, same treatment, but less famous land!

Christmas table setting close up
Empty glasses waiting to be filled! [Image: Johannes Plenio]

Dessert wines and digestifs

If you've been on our Cognac tasting tour then no doubt you'll have a bottle of cognac stashed away for a festive after-dinner drink! Perfect with mince pies, chocolates, a yule log or Christmas pud, it provides a hearty flavour which stands up to sweetness and richness perfectly. But don't let that stop you from trying a digestif or dessert wine from another region. Sauternes, from Bordeaux, for example makes a lighter alternative, with its rich dried fruit flavours balancing with beautiful acidity, it's a dessert in itself, much like Beaumes-de-Venise from Provence. Armagnac has a suitably Christmassy rich and prune-like flavour, whereas Calvados is a pear-based digestif from Normandy. Cointreau, made from orange, has a very festive flavour and is a dream with chocolate. 

Barrels of Cognac in a cave
Cognac barrels. [Image: Timothe Durand}

 

Wine tasting in France

If you have always dreamed of a wine tasting holiday in France, then head over to our Tour Dates page and browse our upcoming guided cycle holidays in a region you’d like to explore by bike, or contact us to find a route and dates that work for you and your group: