Festive pairings this Christmas
You drink white wine, but you like red meat or you’re a red drinker and love to eat fish – are you wrong?! Do the traditional guidelines of white wine with fish and red wine with beef still apply, or is it a case of just drinking what you like?
Of course, the best way to enjoy food with wine is to do simply that, enjoy it, and that's what many of us do at this time of year with family and friends. However, there are classical pairings that might encourage you to try something a little different and elevate the experience for all.
Read on for some recommendations to make your shared moments with family or friends even better this Christmas, with a glass of your favourite Laurent Miquel wines. Next time, we'll cover some red options too for your festive enjoyment.
Lagrasse Albarino
Albarino makes dry, crisp, fruity wines and is normally found in Northwest Spain. Laurent brought this grape variety back to France in 2009 when he planted our vineyards at Château Auzines, high up in the foothills of the Pyrenees, where the limestone soil and cool climate create the perfect conditions for this grape. Lagrasse Albarino is a bright, zesty white wine with flavours of citrus, white peaches, and a lovely minerality that is wonderful paired with seafood and fresh, vibrant dishes.
Some suggestions for Laurent Miquel Lagrasse Albarino:
- Albarino’s acidity complements lemon or lime-based sauces, as well as dishes with fresh herbs like parsley or coriander. The freshness and salty notes enhance olives, fatty charcuterie and mixed platters, making it the perfect party wine!
- The fresh minerality of Albarino brings to life the natural sweetness of oysters, shrimps and shellfish. This Christmas, try it with Flaggyshore oysters or even the traditional prawn cocktail for a special experience.
Côte 238 Albarino, Pech Gentille
The number238 references the average altitude of the parcels at Château Auzines where we grow the grapes for this wine (at 238m). Aged for a few months in concrete, this is a more concentrated and textured wine, with great complexity and freshness.
This wine makes a great pairing to the festive vegetarian or fish dishes like baked white fish or salmon or a vegetarian risotto.
What to avoid? Albarino can be overwhelmed by overly creamy or heavy sauces
Solas Viognier – when spice is nice!
Viognier is a fussy grape that can be difficult to grow. We harvest by night to preserve freshness in the grapes and a gentle approach in the winery gives aromatic aromas of floral and stone fruits with flavours of peach and apricot. Solas is an un-oaked style, so it’s fresh and vibrant and pairs especially well with spiced or aromatic dishes such as your favourite Thai curries. We love it with the leftover turkey and vegetable curry on the 26th December!
Côte 128 Viognier, Pech Gentille
This Viognier is a parcel selection (average of 128m altitude) of older vines that produce high-quality, concentrated grapes every year. The wine still has those attractive peachy stone fruit flavours of peach and apricot, with richness and a creamy touch from a few months of partial oak aging make it an ideal match to more substantial poultry dishes like chicken chasseur.
This will stand up to your Christmas traditional dinner of turkey, ham, vegetables and sauces - its exotic fruits and touch of spice complement all the salty elements and it's full-flavoured enough to stand up to the smorgasbord of flavours on the table!
What to avoid? Viognier has a full, soft mouthfeel with a juicy freshness – anything that is overly acidic like sharp vinaigrettes or citrus-heavy sauces can overwhelm its lovely softness.
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