What To Feast On This Festive Season

Magalie Maréchal, Deputy Cellar Master of Maison Mumm Champagne House, shares her top tipple pairing picks for the holiday season. 

What will be the stars of your dinner table this festive season?

Dinner should start with a glass of RSRV Blanc de Blancs. It makes an ideal pairing with fish and seafood dishes, or marine-scented savoury dishes, like filet of John Dory and fennel confit, or a Sole à la Dieppoise (sole cooked with mussels, shrimps and mushrooms).

For the main course, the lightness and delicate bubbles of RSRV Cuvée 4.5 will perfectly match with gamier meat, like roasted quails with sautéed ceps or veal with girolles, a type of chanterelle mushroom. The first impression will be the soft, cool, honey and fruity aromas, giving way to an earthier personality. The mushrooms add slight bitterness and evokes underwood flavours, matching the elegance and complexity of the wine. 

To end the dinner, pair RSRV Blanc de Noirs with an aged Comté or a traditional Christmas Chocolate & Almond log. The bitterness of black chocolate will perfectly fit the powerfulness of the Pinot Noir.

For Boxing Day, the RSRV Blanc de Noirs would go perfectly with pumpkin risotto served with caramelized turkey.

What about gamier dishes like venison or duck?

There's nothing better than the classic Duck à l’orange with soft spices paired with RSRV Rosé Foujita. The aromatic notes of RSRV Rosé Foujita are ideally suited to this great classic of French gastronomy. The orange sauce and seasoning evoke the flavors of the cuvee in a delicate equilibrium. Not to mention that it is one of the few Rosé wines that can be enjoyed throughout a whole meal!

What is the perfect cocktail party aperitif to serve?

Nothing can surpass the taste of Champagne. 

What are your thoughts on Christmas pudding?

My pick would be RSRV Blanc de Noirs. The roasted aromas of the wine will pair well with the dry and candied fruits and the brioche touch will mirror the dessert.

What time do you start drinking on Christmas Day?!

There’s no time too early to start, as soon as you’re enjoying our wines responsibly! 

RSRV is a reference to the mark used by Cellar Masters to select and identify the best wines only from Grands Crus during harvest and bottle ageing, stands for ‘ReSeRVed’. The limited range is sold in sleek, narrow-necked bottles, including a Blanc de Noirs 2009, Blanc de Blancs 2012, 4.5, and Lalou 2006. 4.5 and Blanc de Blancs 2012 and available in select retailers.