What do sommeliers drink at Christmas?

From South African Syrah to Sauternes, db discovers what some of London’s top sommeliers will be drinking during the festive period.

Picking wines to serve at Christmas can be fraught with challenges, especially if you work in the wine trade and are torn between trying to impress your guests while still serving some crowd-pleasing bottles.

Roxane Dupuy, who heads up the wine lists at Jason and Irha Atherton’s restaurants, including the newly-opened Sael, said that she would be plumping for an aged pink Champagne to commence the festivities: “Bubbles are always present on my table at Christmas—it’s a tradition that keeps everyone in high spirits. This year, I’ve chosen a 1998 vintage Henriot Rosé, disgorged in 2004. It has evolved beautifully, with delightful notes of marzipan and dried roses. I can’t wait to pair it with some flambéed langoustines, which will complement the tender sweetness of the shellfish.”

To pair with a decadent starter, Luxembourg-born Dupuy is sticking to France with a classic, but rare expression of Sauternes.

“My best friend, the queen of foie gras, never fails to grace the table with a delectable terrine. This year, we also have a few promotions to celebrate, so we decided to indulge in a rare treat—a well-kept secret from Sauternes: the Château Pajot Enclave d’Yquem,” revealed Dupuy. “Hailing from the heart of the Yquem vineyard, this wine is no longer produced. The 1955 vintage, now a mature beauty, offers a rich, balanced profile with a mesmerising bouquet. I can already tell there won’t be enough bottles to keep the table well-hydrated, but that’s the price of such uniqueness—and I’m more than happy to pay it!”

Though roast turkey is probably what the vast majority of us will be tucking into on 25 December, there has been a notable diversification of Christmas dinners, with everything from Beef Wellington to roast turbot becoming the centrepiece in many households.

Dupuy’s Xmas main will nod to Italy, as will the wine it is served with, a Bordeaux-esque blend from Colli Orientali del Friuli, in the northeast of Italy.

“For the main dish, we’ve chosen roasted pork marinated in five spices, served with a plum and whiskey sauce. A squash and lardo risotto will accompany it perfectly,” she shared. “This is the perfect moment to finally decant the stunning Miani Rosso 2005, which has been waiting patiently for this day—our patience will soon be rewarded, and I can’t wait! We’re definitely in for a treat.

Also going down the Italian route is Giuseppe d’Aniello, director of wine at The London Edition, and he was also named Best Sommelier in 2023 by the UK Sommelier Association. Though he shared that he would begin with G.H. Mumm’s RSRV blanc de noirs, D’Aniello will be pivoting back to his homeland with the choice of Cenatiempo’s 2020 Kalimera Biancolella, hailing from the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples, and then the 2017 vintage of Roagna’s Barolo La Pira.

Giving his bottle of choice for this Christmas, Jeffrey Koren, head of wine at Canary Wharf’s Marceline, singled out a South African Syrah stocked by Lay & Wheeler.

“The dark-fruited, mineral, and wonderfully aromatic Little William Syrah made by Pieter Walser is elegant and comforting – perfect for the festive season. This year, I’ll be drinking the 2021,” said Koren. “But if there’s something that I like just as much as Pieter’s wines, it’s the hand-drawn labels and the stories behind them. The label shows the winding road of the mountain pass from which the wine is sourced, recalling a time Pieter found a young child by the name of William standing on the road. The intimate story behind it and the self-drawn label make this wine feel like a handmade, personal Christmas card in drinkable form.”

“Not everyone at the Christmas table will have the same appreciation (or taste) in wine, but everyone will be able to appreciate the story,” he added.

Dupuy also echoed this sentiment: “I believe the key to a truly successful vinous Christmas is the spirit of sharing, whether or not you’re surrounded by fellow wine enthusiasts. Opening a bottle of something special not only delights your own palate (we only live once!) but also creates lasting memories. Who knows? You might even turn a non-wine drinker into your next tasting buddy.”

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