December 2004 - Wine Paring for your Christmas Feast

Christmas is fast approaching, and markets all over Paris are stocking up on goose, turkey and capon to grace holiday tables for the annual reveillon, or Christmas dinner. Some regions of France share the tradition of eating turkey and stuffing as the main course with the U.S., but for the remainder of the meal, there is little similarity between the dining customs of the two countries. Foie gras, oysters and cheeses figure heavily in the Parisian repast, and the Yule log (bûche de Noël) is a favorite dessert in France. But perhaps the biggest difference between the culinary culture of Christmas dinner in France and the U.S. is the French custom of selecting wines to accompany each course.

In this month's newsletter our wine specialist gives his advice on how to pair wine with the Christmas dinner.