Which wines for Xmas celebrations?

Thought it might be a fun idea to see which wines folks are thinking of pouring on the day?

Vouvray for me plus a red Reuilly. Invited out so not sure what`s on the menu though. Fair guess most people there are not wine-drinkers so will hide good stuff in the kitchen

[James Roscoe]

Prime rib so most likely some aged Bordeaux and Borolo.

I have just selected a 6-pack to take to NW Ohio that include:

NV de Venoge "Cordon Bleu" Champagne
2006 Bernardus "Marinus" Carmel Valley Bordeaux blend (Christmas dinner)
2010 Hook & Ladder Sonoma Gewurztraminer (Christmas dinner)
2007 Souverain Cabernet
2006 L de Lyeth Merlot
2006 Anderson's Conn Valley Res. Cabernet

2 back-up wines in case of corkedness are:
2006 Bugay "Emperess" Cabernet
2006 Farella "Alta" Cabernet/Merlot (2to1)

It' summer here and we are having a Xmas lunch. Glazed ham will be the centre piece with fresh potatoes, snow peas and lovely salads.
The sweet / citrus glaze and the saltiness of the ham is a perfect foil for Riesling, which will be nicely chilled.
I am also taking a bottle of Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010, which is silky and sublime.
I have a couple of bottles of bubbly too; Champagne Lanvin, and a cheapie New Zealand methode traditionelle Rosé.

Xmas Eve we are having seafood, but not sure what yet as it depends what looks good that morning when we go shopping. But no doubt there will be a Chardonnay opened. Or two!

On the 25th, probably just Muscadet, not sure which one(s).

And my uncle will have his trusty YellowTail equivalent on hand for those who prefer that.

Christmas Eve will have 2001 ESJ CA Syrah for the main course. I had a bottle a couple of weeks ago and it was in that perfect stage where the wine is fully open and gushing pleasure, texturally, flavor-wise, and spiritually. Am hoping the next bottles show just as well!

[Robin Garr]

Nothing fancy or pricey, but Mary loves the very offbeat Puzelat Pineau d'Aunis (and I like it quite well, too), so chances are we'll dip into a little stash of it that I have tucked away.

Switching from our usual Burgundy to a California cab with beef rib roast Christmas Day. No doubt a champagne will play a role as will Pappy Van Winkle after dinner. I expect something will be open almost all the time.

I am adding `09 Reuilly Denis Jamain to my list!

Thinking about a 2007 Pessagno, Lucia Highlands Vineyard, Pinot Noir for Christmas Eve dinner of Beef Tenderloin en Croute, and a couple of bottles of Knapp Finger Lakes Merlot with Glazed Ham on Christmas.

Post-Christmas eve brunch service at the restaurant, we are planning on heading out for Indian food for a Christmas eve dinner and will most likely bring a couple Rieslings - the Dönnhoff Norheimer Kirchheck Riesling Spätlese and the Strub Niersteiner Paterberg Riesling Spätlese. Christmas Day will be celebrated with teetotalers, so will have to wait and open a bottle of something nice when we get home.

Too soon to be precise. I need to know exactly how the chef will be preparing the food before choosing. Being an Anglo-Belgian family we have celebratory dinners on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The former is traditionally the evening for celebrating Christmas in Belgium and Germaine regularly reminds me that she was completely disorientated at her first Christmas with my family in England when nothing happened until Christmas Day.

There will certainly be Champagne and port as well as red and white table wines. I have a Bollinger 1996 RD and some Taylor's 1977 which need drinking soon but there are other candidates as well.

There probably will not be a dinner aiut my house Tuesday, so I will open one of my last two bottles of ESJ Bome jolly 2010 with a Han sandwich.

Delicious beer from Italy. St Renna Special Xmas Ale sampled downtown this afternoon, very tasty, cloudy but full of flavors. Mild aroma, some caramel and honey spices. Taste is a malty honey spice with hop bitterness. Very pleasing indeed. $16 Cdn.

Waiting to go on ice...

Bird in Hand sparkling pinot noir (Adelaide Hills) 2011
Bleasdale sparkling shiraz (Langhorne Creek) NV
Chain of Ponds Black Thursday sauvignon blanc (Adelaide Hills) 2011

2010 Geil Scheurebe Kabinett
2010 Heidi Schrock Gelber Muskateller
2008 Domaine Collotte Marsannay les Clos de Jeu
2005 R. López de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza

2012 Anchor Our Special Ale
2012 Avec les bons Vœux de la brasserie Dupont

We're planning on a "Moet Holiday"...

The NV Brut Imperial is on hand for Christmas Eve.

1996 Dom Perignon for New Years Eve.

Jeff

For the day, it's looking like a 1981 Clos du Clocher (Pomerol), but I may stand something else up as a backup.

[Jenise]

Don't know yet! But my guests are new world drinkers, so....

Staying in town for a quiet Christmas this year so nothing too momentous. I plan to open a Sauternes on Christmas Eve (375 ml.) and will have some on Christmas Day. Will also open a Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir from Oregon to go with smoked ham and au gratin potatoes. I like to celebrate New Year's Eve with Tawny Port rather than Champagne and will probably open a Sandeman Tawny Port.

(We had a ladies' lunch for a church group the Tuesday before Christmas and I made a mulled cider--without alcohol--that was very tasty. May do it again on a smaller scale for home consumption between Christmas and New Year's.)

[Jenise]

Okay, have more of an idea now. Since one of my guests is a Canadian couple, I'll open an 02 Mission Hills Onoculous for the main course in their honor. A La Follette chardonnay will go with the first course which are gorgonzola and rosemary souffles, and pinot would be a great choice for the beet and salmon salad that goes next and before the main, a good progression. Haven't picked one out yet.

Switching from our usual Burgundy to a California cab with beef rib roast Christmas Day. No doubt a champagne will play a role as will Pappy Van Winkle after dinner. I expect something will be open almost all the time.

Which Pappy? Finding these is becoming harder and harder!

In honor of my daughter who is home for the holidays (just before moving to Portland, Oregon) we had a 2007 Maysara "Asha" Pinot Noir with clay pot rosemary chicken, homegrown mashed potatoes, homegrown Knight shell peas, and homegrown carrots made with the chicken. It was a lovely meal, and the pinot reflected the Oregon vintage. Maysara usually has a deep blueberry, dark cherry vein in its wines with a richness to the flavors, with good acidity, and a certain leanness which I like. The 2007 was quite good but not stellar as the leanness of the vintage came through a bit more than I'd like. I preferred the "estate cuvee" in this vintage. If you haven't tried Maysara and its wines from the bio-dynamically farmed Momtazi estate vineyard, I'd recommend them.

We had fillet of porc with beets, carrots and potatoes, topped with chives and fresh horseradish.
We paired this with a

Rudolf May, Thüngersheimer Johannisberg Recis Silvaner trocken 2011.

This has a very creamy texture, Silvaner at its best, and matched the dish perfectly.

We learned the pairing of the Recis Silvaner with beets and
horse radish at the Essigbrätlein in Nuremberg.

Winfried