Louis Latour Agencies

Classic Christmas Foods and Wine Matching… Part Three

16 November 2017

Tradition is one of the components that makes Christmas so much fun. You look forward to certain parts of the day and every family has their own take on how the days turns out. We have been posting articles with each focussing on a part of the day or a course. Within each we have taken a few favourites and matched them to a wine, both with a traditional pairing and with something more unusual. In the previous article we looked at the Main course and previously have also looked at Starters & Aperitifs. Last, but by no means least are the desserts…

 

Christmas pudding & brandy butter

Traditional match: Vidal-Fleury Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2015

This wine is light gold in colour. On the nose there are aromas of grapefruit, orange peel, honey and dried apricot. The palate continues the aromas through along with fresh white peach. The sweetness is perfectly balanced by the acidity leading to a cleansing, long finish. The dried fruit in the Christmas pudding are complemented by the fruit flavours in the wine and the acidity cuts through the brandy butter.

Try something different: Frapin Château Fontpinot XO

Frapin’s Château Fontpinot X.O. is the fruit of long ageing, mostly in dry cellars which gives it a subtle, complex and refined bouquet. A subtle, complex and persistent bouquet composed of candied fruit aromas and notes of port and the famous ''rancio'', together with notes of hawthorn and wild flowers. The rancio works seamlessly with the corresponding orange peel, dried fruit and nutty flavours in the pudding. 

 

Cheese board

Traditional match: Henry Fessy Morgon 2015

Morgon is the second largest cru after Brouilly and its wines are some of the most robust of Beaujolais. The nose on Henry Fessy’s wine reveals aromas of red cherry and kirsch. In the mouth, fruit flavours have a good concentration. The wine is supple and the tannins are silky and support the wine. A good match for most cheeses, particularly hard or blue.  

Try something different: McHenry Hohnen Hazel’s Vineyard Zinfandel 2013

Zinfandel is not usually found in Australia however, this wine is full of black cherry, quince paste and dark chocolate aromas that combine for a complex bouquet. Delving deeper, sweet watermelon and liquorice are revealed. This is a fruit-driven wine framed by super-fine tannin and Japanese plum acidity that runs through the palate and finish.

 

Trifle

Traditional match: Seresin Estate Late Harvest Riesling 2013

Only made in certain vintages when the conditions are perfect for us to leave some Riesling on the vines out in our Raupo vineyard. Handpicked at the very end of the autumn, this fruit is then fermented in stainless steel with natural yeast. The nose exhibits aromas of apple, lemon and honeycomb, with hints of white blossom and peach. The palate has concentrated citrus and saffron characters, balanced by a zesty acidity.

Try something different: Gosset Petite Douceur Rosé Extra Dry NV

This Cuvée was created using subtle balance between sweetness and acidity. This cuvée is salmon-pink in colour. It has a beautiful effervescence with a string of fine bubbles. On the nose, flavours of ripe strawberry followed by raspberry. On the finish and once the wine has warmed up slightly, notes of quince, blood orange and verbena are revealed. The well-balanced palate is dominated by notes of strawberry, raspberry but also pink grapefruit and lemon.