Champagne adds a touch of elegance to the Christmas festivities. Its crisp, refreshing bubbles pair beautifully with a variety of canapés and tapas and its effervescence cleans the palate between bites. As someone who enjoys maximum reward with minimum effort, I have prepared for you, our dear readers, a selection of champagnes and morsels to pair them with which require zero cooking but will make you look like a star host.
LOUIS ROEDERER BRUT VINTAGE 2015
Our first choice offers an unbeatable value-to-quality ratio. At Louis Roederer, vintage champagnes are made exclusively with grapes from their own estate. The Brut Vintage blend is made with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards in Verzy and Chouilly.
Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2015 is pale in colour, fruity and spicy on the nose and velvety soft in the mouth. It would age very well in the cellar.
In the Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2025, the dominance of Pinot Noir (70 per cent) shows on its fruity and spicy nose that reminds of red berries, plums and peaches. It is also the Pinot Noir that provides the velvety, creamy texture, while the overall richness comes from the Chardonnay (30 per cent). The palate matches the nose, with fruity notes and hints of peach.
This is a very well-structured wine, complex and full of freshness, with a more saline finish. It pairs greatly with a wide variety of foods, including veal and turkey; but as we are not cooking, we served it with young Gruyère, which is creamier and nuttier than its older counterparts. £70 from The Finest Bubble. Available at other retailers.
POL ROGER BLANC DE BLANCS 2015
We do like our 2015 champagnes vintage. The weather allowed for a perfect growth cycle, so the wines had a big chance for greatness. Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2015 is definitely a great wine. Made exclusively from the Chardonnay Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs. Unique to Pol Roger is the temperature of its cellars, cooler than all the other brands, and the reason why its bubbles are finer.
Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2015 shows a pale gold colour, fruity aromas with warm notes and a buttery palate imbued with tangy freshness.
Expect aromas of apple and peach, white flowers and a bit of spice and warm dough. In the palate the fruity flavours continue alongside a toasty note. One feels the broadness of the wine and the acidity before a precise chalky finish. A lively, fresh champagne that Martin Heidsieck, Brand Development Executive at Pol Roger, suggests to pair with oysters. Gillardeau are a particularly good choice as their sweet-nutty taste goes really well with the minerality of Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2015. £85 from Laithwaites. Available at other retailers.
BOLLINGER ROSÉ NV
We had to have at least a rosé in our selection. In general rosé champagne is more fruity than the regular variant, and often shows floral undertones. Our choice for this Christmas is Bollinger Rosé non-vintage. Made from a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier.
Bollinger rosé NV presents complex fruity aromas and a vivacious, well structure palate with tannins in the finish from the red wine.
Although Bollinger has been producing this cuvée only since 2008, this champagne is very accomplished and one that would probably age very well. If I had to define it with just one word, it would be “bright”. From its vivid colour to its fruity bouquet of berries and stone fruit, sweetened with notes of honeycomb. The palate is robust, with a long, dry, tannic finish.
I would suggest serving it with smoked salmon, crab, prawns, or even sushi. The crispy, fruity character of this champagne brings out the sweetness of the fish and seafood. £75 from Fortnum & Mason. Available at other retailers.
JACQUART CUVÉE ALPHA 2012
This young champagne house, established in 1964, takes pride in being owned not by an ancient noble family but by a cooperative, so all the growers are shareholders. From the beginning, Jacquart has been producing elegant, expressive cuvées that have gained the approval of connoisseurs all over.
Jacquart Cuvée Alpha 2012 is an exceptional champagne with an elegant nose, fresh mouth and long finish.
Made from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in almost equal parts – all from Grand-Cru plots – Jacquart Cuvée Alpha 2012 was first released in 2022. Complex and intense on the nose, with tropical fruits, toffee and a hint of citrus, underlined with delicate acidity. On the palate is fresh and balanced, combining fruity notes with subtle minerality and salinity.
I paired it with caviar and prawns. Two very contrasting foods both of which are enhanced by this champagne. Its acidity and texture balance the richness and oily feel of the caviar, whilst its fruitiness enhances the sweetness of the prawns. £131 from The Whisky Exchange. Available at other retailers.
I hope this article will give you some ideas to create your own gourmet experiences at home, spoiling your friends and family with fabulous champagnes and delicious morsels.
Author: Julia Pasarón
Product pictures: Lina Ress
Opening image: Amanda Brady / Pexels
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