I’m Dreaming of a Liquid Christmas

In the coming Christmas days, we can all enjoy Naresh’s culinary skills. Well, we do have to conjure it up on the table ourselves, but then the real enjoyment can begin. And what better way to do that than with a lovely glass to taste, toast and dine exuberantly alongside it? It does need to be one that fits!

Oven-baked cavolo nero and green cabbage in cashew batter
We’re serving a chilled manzanilla sherry with this. Yes, really, just give it a try. This is a fantastic aperitif! You may need a moment to get used to the ‘different’ taste, but then heaven opens up. Like fino sherry, manzanilla matures under a layer of flor del vino—a kind of yeast blanket—which gives the wine distinctive aromas of yeast and cashews. Its salty, mineral finish is striking. The vineyards of Sanlúcar de Barrameda—the only place manzanilla may come from—border the Atlantic Ocean directly. But this sherry is above all fresh, spicy and dry. In short, a perfect match for this lovely bite.
Buying tip: Manzanilla – Rey Fernando de Castilla, ± € 13.95 | available, among others, at Pasteuning & Grandcruwijnen.

Dutch shrimp cocktail

After the frivolous starter, an old-school Dutch dish. So let’s have a wine from our own soil too. Not because we have to, but because we can! ‘Our’ wines are only getting better, after all. And the Limburg winery de Apostelhoeve is leading the charge. In terms of style, their wines are somewhat comparable to wines from Alsace.

Apostelhoeve Cuvée XII is a juicy white blend of müller-thurgau, auxerrois and pinot gris. It smells ripe and festive. Like a tropical Christmas party from our own soil. With its fruity acidity, subtle spiciness and creamy finish, it is the ideal partner for the shrimp in its wonderfully fresh pimento bed.
Buying tip: Apostelhoeve Cuvée XII, ± € 13.00 | available, among others, at Vindict & Thiessen Wijnkoopers.

Beef Wellington

With the Beef Wellington, we serve—a natural choice—a Rhône wine. Not too old or too massive, because this tenderloin lacks its traditional crust. So preferably a younger one, but one with character. The ruby-red Rasteau Hélianthe, for example. Classic and oak-aged from the southern Rhône, made from grenache and syrah. When I smelled it, I thought of a fresh box of matches and raspberries. A beautiful, full flavour and fairly bold tannins, yet fresh and red-fruited at the same time, with a pleasant peppery note. You can enjoy a long meal with this one. Just give it some air beforehand.
Buying tip: Rasteau Hélianthe 2013 – Ogier Caves des Papes, € 13.75 | available, among others, at Verbunt Wijnkopers & Wijnservice.nl.

Sweet potato cheesecake with chocolate ganache & Bastogne biscuit
An exuberant and festive dessert, as it should be. And that is what you may expect from its companion too. As a rule of thumb, wine should be sweeter than the dessert; otherwise it quickly becomes unpleasant and sour.

But a cheesecake with Bastogne crumbs is a different story. And chocolate is tricky with wine anyway. This mysteriously dark-coloured Maydie Tannat Vintage, however, glides smoothly along with all the flavours of this dessert. Made like a vintage port, meaning the alcoholic fermentation was stopped by adding wine spirit. The remaining, unfermented grape sugars make this wine from the foothills of the Pyrenees intensely and thrillingly sweet. Yet it is fruitier and less alcoholic than its Portuguese friend. And would you like an extra course? No problem, because it also works with rich cheeses such as Fourme d’Ambert, Roquefort and Stilton. An original finale to your Christmas dinner!

Buying tip: Maydie 2012 AOP Madiran Vin de Liqueur – Domaine Laplace, (0.5 l.) ± € 19 | available, among others, at Sauter Wijnen & Wijnkoperij de Hermitage.

Text: Romy Kooij – Miss WineLane
Image: Shutterstock