Questions Uncorked

Dec 24, 2008

Hi Pat,
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog. I love your idea – I think it sounds like great fun! There are a number of different ways that you could approach something like this, so you do have lots of different options. Let me present you with a couple of different scenarios.

Option 1 – Bubble Party
I would suggest doing four different courses with a fifth course for dessert and pairing each course with a different sparkling wine. I would look to use a mix of different styles of sparkling wines such as one slightly sweet sparkler with dessert, a dry rose with a beef course and would even throw in a sparkler from California just to show the diversity of sparkling wines from around the world.
First course – I would look for something like the Francois Montand Blanc de Blanc (around $12), a sparkling wine from France and pair it with an assortment of cheeses and a veggie tray to get the night going.
Second course – sushi bites paired an American sparkler, you could look for ones from Domaine Carneros or Domaine Chandon. Both of these are made in the same style as French Champagne.
Third course – chicken satay with peanut sauce paired with something like the Piper Heidsieck Brut (around $35) or the Pommery Brut (should be between $30-35)
Fourth course – spare ribs paired with the Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé
Fifth course – Fruit with chocolate fondue paired with Moet & Chandon White Star

Option 2 – A Journey Around France
This would be a selection of wines from around France that would show off the different styles of wines produced there. I added a sixth course here so to include some Champagne for the midnight hour.
First course – Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley (something like the Domaine Fournier Les Belles Vignes Sancerre). I would pair this with a green salad with a white wine vinaigrette. Top the salad with slices of French bread covered in goat cheese that you have warmed under the broiler for a few minutes.
Second course – Chardonnay from Burgundy (something like the Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne “Les Setilles”). I would pair this with an assortment of different appetizers like gougeres which are savory cheese puffs, stuffed mushrooms and maybe a baked brie.
Third course – A Syrah/Grenache blend from the Rhone such as the Perrin Côtes du Rhône Villages or the Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône “Parallèle 45″. I would pair this with baby lamb chops topped with a mint pesto sauce.
Fourth course – A Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend from Bordeaux such as the La Croix Bonis St. Estephe or a Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend such as the Christian Moueix Saint-Emilion. I would pair this with small bites of tenderloin and mini roasted potatoes.
Fifth course – I would serve a Banyuls (two I like are the M. Chapoutier Banyuls and the Les Clos de Paulilles Banyuls) and serve it with an assortment of different chocolate desserts.
Sixth course – Champagne and a fruit tray (I would look for a sweeter style Champagne for ringing in the New Year – something like the Moet & Chandon White Star).
I hope this is helpful – let me know if you have any further questions. And also, please let me know what you end up going with – this has given me some ideas for my own NYE party!

Sheri