After the Christmas festivities, New Year’s Eve is the final celebration of the year. It’s the ultimate festive occasion, where everyone gathers with friends and/or family to welcome a promising new year. Whatever format you choose for your December 31st celebration, here are some tips to help you select the perfect Canard-Duchêne Champagne to accompany your New Year’s countdown.
Few choices... but the right one !
To start and help you make your choice, remember that the goal is not to overwhelm your guests’ palates by offering too many wine and champagne options throughout the evening or meal—they could quickly become saturated and stop appreciating the selections provided.
You can offer two to three champagnes depending on the different moments of the evening (from the aperitif, through savory courses, to pairing with dessert); there’s no need to offer more.
A New Year’s Eve Dinner Cocktail Reception
This year, for the holiday season, you’ve decided to treat yourself and host your close circle for an informal evening, centered around simple pleasures chosen with care. Nevertheless, you still want to serve champagne for this New Year’s Eve and to accompany the dishes prepared.
While often associated with grand celebrations and festivities, champagne is also the perfect companion for more intimate gatherings and delicate tastings.
For an intimate New Year’s Eve aperitif, you might choose to serve a few bites and small verrines featuring classic holiday dishes: foie gras on gingerbread toast, lightly seared langoustines, vegetable tempuras, or salmon roe with blinis. To accompany these preparations, you can serve a bottle of Brut or Extra Brut champagne (lower in sugar), such as our Léonie Iconic and Blanc de Noirs Iconic cuvées for Brut, or the P181 Bio Extra Brut and V2012 Brut Nature champagnes. With their freshness and well-balanced aromas, they perfectly complement these festive dishes and the celebratory New Year’s Eve atmosphere.
While perfectly at ease at the table and during the aperitif, champagne remains a very delicate wine and does not pair well with all dishes. Avoid overly spicy or heavily salted foods, such as peanuts, to keep your palate alert and fully appreciate all the aromas of the champagne.
On the other hand, iodine-rich foods are among champagne’s best companions, especially for a December 31st aperitif. A stunning seafood platter paired with an excellent champagne, such as our Champagne Blanc de Blancs Iconic or our Vintage 2018, can be truly exceptional.
A Grand Table for New Year's Eve
This year, you’ve decided to go all out and host your guests around a beautifully set festive table, carefully prepared. The New Year’s Eve meal will be served seated, featuring delicate dishes crafted with the utmost attention to delight your guests’ palates for this exceptional evening. To make the occasion even more special, you’ve, of course, planned to serve champagne to accompany the different courses.
For the aperitif, choose a Brut champagne to ensure a perfect start to the evening. For example, you could begin your New Year’s Eve celebration with our Champagne Léonie Iconic, which will also pair beautifully with the starter, whether it’s a seafood pairing (such as oysters) or a land-based option (like foie gras).
For the main course, you can surprise your guests with a more distinctive champagne that will highlight the flavors and character of your dish. For example, you could serve our Champagne Blanc de Noirs Iconic with a tender meat such as lamb or well-seasoned, delicately spiced vegetables; our Champagne Blanc de Blancs Iconic to accompany fresh fish or white meat; or our vintage prestige cuvée V2012 to enhance pairings such as a crab millefeuille or truffled white pudding. You can also keep these champagnes to accompany your cheese platters.
The choice you make for dessert will guide your champagne selection: Rosé Champagnes such as Rosé Iconic and Rosé Essentiel will pair perfectly with light, fruity desserts thanks to their fruity character, just like balanced Brut Champagnes such as Léonie Iconic which can also enhance the treats on your New Year’s menu. Chocolate pairings are more delicate—opt for lightly sweetened chocolates with a hint of bitterness to create a gentle balance with a Brut champagne or a champagne Demi-Sec.
Now that your festive menu is ready, the champagne is chilled, and you’re waiting for your guests to celebrate the New Year, all that remains is to wish you a very happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year’s Eve!
