Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are coming soon and it’s time to think about the drinks that will complement the different dishes on your holiday menus this end of the year! But between those who only drink white, those who prefer red and those who only want to celebrate New Year’s Eve with Champagne, it is not easy to satisfy all the guests!

Are you wondering which wine to buy for the end-of-year celebrations, in order to satisfy everyone? You don’t want to waste time this year dealing with the liquids section of your supermarket and even less spend all your New Year’s Eve budget on drinks?

Simplify my life  is here to enlighten you on the few tips and basic rules that are essential, concerning the different alcohols to be expected for the end of year celebrations! Quick look at the guide below, in order to make your New Year’s Eve a success, including drinks:

• Which champagne to choose between brut, extra-brut and sweet?

• Which wine to choose depending on the type of dish (fish, poultry, shellfish, cheese)?

• How many bottles do you need for your guests?

• A Christmas Eve meal all in Champagne, is it possible?

• And finally, the essential tips for serving your alcohol like a chef!

 

 

How many bottles to plan?

For the aperitif , count 1 bottle of champagne for 4 .

For a festive meal , you can count 1 bottle of wine for 3 or 4 people .

For dessert , provide 1 bottle of champagne for 5 .

And the children? –> water, fruit juice, sodas (start with 1 bottle for 4) or even sweet cider to satisfy the most eager to imitate adults;).

 

The Aperitif: Champagne or crémant?

Champagne is the unconditional aperitif for the end of year celebrations: it will satisfy the greatest number.

The ideal accompaniment : foie gras, oysters, small toasts and homemade puff pastries, or vegetables to eat.

The alternative : sparkling and crémant wines, but also clairettes or blanquettes.

For an equivalent budget, it is better to choose a quality sparkling wine than a low-end champagne!

 

For the meal: Which wine to choose according to the dishes?

The drinks to be provided depend on the dishes that will make up your menu!

With poultry : start with a white wine , rather fruity, Burgundy type, or a pinot noir (red wine).

With seafood and shellfish : prefer dry white wine (choose young, lively and fresh) for a perfect combination!

With fish : white wine is a safe bet, but you can also turn to a low tannic red wine to surprise your guests.

To accompany the cheese platter : most go well with white , but soft cheeses with bloomy rinds (such as Brie or Camembert), uncooked pressed cheeses (such as Cantal or Saint-Nectaire) and pasta marbled (blue cheese and roquefort cheese) go very well with red wine !

 

A New Year’s Eve all in champagne?

Sweet, brut, extra-brut: which champagne to choose?

Brut champagne : the most classic. Not very sweet, it is suitable for aperitif, meal or dessert .

Sweet champagne : the sweetest, it goes wonderfully with desserts .

Beverage tips

Always serve light wines before more full-bodied wines , young wines before older ones, and sweet wines before dry ones, so that the taste is better on the palate.

White wine is the one responsible for headaches the day after parties, because of the sulphites it contains in abundant quantities.

 

Drink alcohol in moderation!

Even if it’s the holidays and we can afford to drink a little, if we sleep on site or if there is a designated driver who does not drink (a Sam), here is a reminder of the consumption thresholds lower risk defined by the World Health Organization:

• 2 units of alcohol per day for women
• 3 units of alcohol per day for men
• 4 units of alcohol for occasional consumption (parties)
• 0 units of alcohol if you are driving, for pregnant or breastfeeding women, minors, if you are taking medication and for other risky situations

The unit of alcohol is the quantity of alcohol generally served in places of consumption. It is equivalent to 10 grams of pure alcohol.

• 1 unit of alcohol = 1 glass of wine (10 cl at 12°)
• 1 unit of alcohol = 1 glass of beer (25 cl at 5°)
• 1 unit of alcohol = 1 glass of champagne (10 cl at 12°)
• 1 unit of alcohol = 1 glass of spirits in long drink (3 cl at 40° + soft)
• 1 unit of alcohol = 1 glass of aniseed aperitif (2.5 cl at 45°)
• 1 unit of alcohol = 1 glass of digestive (3 cl at 40°)

 

The authorized alcohol limit is 0.5 g of alcohol per liter of blood or 0.25 mg of alcohol per liter of exhaled air. The legal limit for driving can be exceeded even before 2 glasses of alcohol! Better to test yourself with a breathalyzer before driving.

It takes on average 1h30 to eliminate 1 unit of alcohol .

4 units maximum : beyond that, there is a risk of drunkenness, i.e. a risk of reduced vigilance and loss of self-control (increased danger of road accidents, unprotected or consensual sexual intercourse, alcoholic comas, aggressive behavior).