We’re of the opinion that Champagne goes with everything at Christmas. Champagne and caviar. Champagne and Christmas chocolate. Champagne and cheese. Heck, even Champagne and that Daylesford red cabbage you forgot about and have now overshot in the microwave.
But we thought we’d turn to some slightly more qualified opinions when broaching the question of which Champagnes to pair with your Christmas lunch. So, we turned to some of London’s best sommeliers and Champagne experts to fill us in on the finest fizz – from the perfect pair for your pigs in blankets to bubbles to bring out your Brussels sprouts.
STARTERS
Smoked salmon (with or without caviar)
Our sommeliers are in agreement: you should serve smoked salmon with 2014 Bollinger La Grande Année. ‘This exquisite Champagne represents one of the world's most iconic brands,’ says Tomas Minley, COO of the BBR Group – the brand behind Champagne -loving Bob Bob Ricard and its snazzy sibling Bébé Bob. ‘A true showstopper, [this is] the perfect centrepiece for any Christmas dinner and a great match for smoked salmon.’
Restaurant Story’s Head Sommelier Carolina Seibel agrees – although she recommends buying by the magnum (it is Christmas, after all). ‘The 2014 Grand Année has a perfect balance of refreshing citrus notes, perky bubbles, and acidity which is fresh but not sharp, as well as a nice expression of brioche,’ she says.
For caviar (with or without salmon), AngloThai’s Wine Director, Desiree Chantarasak, favours an English brut: Exton Park RB|32 Brut Magnum. ‘The delicate bubbles and savoury notes of this aged Reserve Brut perfectly complement the umami caviar,’ she says. ‘Sparkling and seafood: a match made in heaven!’
Prawn cocktail
‘Even a retro dish deserves its red-carpet moment,’ says Yulia Gurevich, Sommelier at just-opened SiLVA on Bruton Place. Her prawn pairing is a mineral-heavy Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne, which ‘transforms the prawn cocktail into a celebration.’
Firebird’s Anna Dolgushina also recommends Blanc de Blancs for your, er, pink de pinks, favouring the NV Blanc de Blancs Terroirs Agrapart & Fils Extra Brut. ‘This style of wine, crafted exclusively from 100% Chardonnay grapes, is known for its taut and austere character, featuring zesty fruit notes and a distinctive oyster shell minerality derived from the chalky soils,’ she says. ‘With its pronounced intensity, it complements the natural flavours of seafood and effortlessly balances the richness of Marie Rose sauce.’
Or you could go for something with a bit more backbone – like the 2013 JL Vergnon, Hautes Mottes, Brut Nature, which is Sandia Chang’s pick. ‘This beautiful chardonnay-based Champagne from the Grand Cru village of Les Mesnil-sur-Oger has not only the elegance but also the richness from its vintage,’ says the sommelier and co-founder of Kitchen Table. ‘It is Burgundian in style with rich yellow apples, a spritz of Meyer lemons, clementine skins, and toasted almonds.’
MAINS AND SIDES
Roast turkey
How are you serving your roast turkey this year? Tomas is taking his cues from Bébé Bob and loading his up with a rich truffle sauce – and sipping a 2008 Gosset Celebris Vintage. ‘Crafted from 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir and aged for 10 years in the bottle, this Champagne boasts flavours of brioche and vibrant lemon zest,’ he says. ‘It pairs beautifully with the rich, savoury flavours of turkey and complements the earthy undertones of truffle sauces.’
Yulia is going full English with her turkey pairing – Ambriel Classic Cuvee Brut, which hails from West Sussex. ‘This homegrown gem knows its audience: classic British fare with a touch of luxury,’ she says. ‘Its acidity cuts through the richness of the stuffing, and its sparkle keeps you lively enough to fend off a second helping of sprouts.’
Pigs in blankets
The best way to balance the saltiness of the sausage and bacon is to lean into a sweeter Champagne – as Philipp Reinstaller, Head Sommelier at Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO, points out with his pigs pairing, NV Doyard La Libertine Doux.
‘A great example of a largely forgotten category of sweet Champagne, La Libertine is matured for 10 years on the lees and shows great balance of sweetness and refinement,’ he says. ‘It is a wonderful contrast to the saltiness of the humble pigs in blankets.’
Wine writer Hannah Crosbie also recommends going sweet over savoury, opting for a Ruinart Rosé Champagne for her pigs pairing.
‘I would usually have the lightest red to pair with pigs in blankets, but a textured, sapid rosé Champagne such as the Ruinart rosé works just as well,’ she says. ‘It’s a gleeful high-low pairing.’
Bread sauce
The best bread sauce is always creamy. Which you can help achieve, says Philipp, by sipping it alongside a 2009 Larmandier-Bernier Vielle Vigne du Levant Grand Cru. ‘This fantastic Blanc de Blancs comes from old vines Chardonnay from the Grand Cru village of Cramant. It showcases great texture and length,’ he says. ‘Together with notes of toasted brioche and honey, this will be the perfect match with the creaminess of the bread sauce.’
Braised red cabbage and sprouts
Being members of the brassics family, these oft-misjudged vegetables share similar (ish) flavour profiles, which Sandia reckons you can give a bit of razzle dazzle with a rosé Champagne – specifically, a Jeaunaux-Robin Rosé De Saignée Brut.
‘This unusual skin contact rose made with 100% Pinot Meunier is the best contender to pair with the – always difficult – red cabbage,’ she says. ‘The Pinot Meunier on its own adds a lot of the Christmas spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, caraway, and liquorice. The maceration process for the rosé gives it tremendous body and texture to upstand all the cabbages and even sprouts at Christmas.’
PUDDINGS AND CHEESES
Christmas pudding
If the first word that comes to mind when someone says ‘Christmas pudding’ is ‘stodgy’, you’ve definitely not added enough booze. (Trust us: we spent an entire day watching Raymond Blanc make the perfect figgy pudding – watch our Instagram reel for evidence). But you’ve also probably not chosen the right pairing, which Yulia thinks is a Billecart-Salmon Rosé.
‘This delicate rosé provides a fresh counterpoint to the intensity of Christmas pudding,’ she says. ‘Think of it as the refreshing breeze after a rich feast.’
Tomas’s choice is aimed at bringing out the spices and dried fruits, via a Henri Giraud MV Fût de Chêne, NV. ‘This Champagne pairs beautifully with the spices and dried fruits of a Christmas pudding – a match made in heaven,’ he says.
Cheese
For cheese, glorious cheese, you’ve got a lot of options. If you’ve got a stacked cheese board, your best bet is to choose something a bit versatile. Something a bit like the NV Rosé de Saignée Geoffroy Brut, recommended by Anna. ‘Its aromatic profile offers notes of rose, wild strawberry, raspberry, and later, blackberry – perfectly harmonising with a variety of cheeses,’ she says.
Or, you could take a leaf out of Tomas’s book, who has gone for something a bit more full-bodied and, dare we say it, ministerial: 2012 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill.
‘A tribute to Sir Winston Churchill, this Champagne reflects the qualities he valued: robustness, a full-bodied character, and refined maturity,’ he says. ‘Vibrant and full of life, it complements and elevates a wide range of complex flavours, from mature cheddar to indulgent Italian Taleggio.’
