Great Wines for New Year’s Eve

It has been another tough year, so we all need to celebrate a bit. Whether you are staying in or heading out to some fabulous fete I have some great wine suggestions for you and your friends and family in terms of wines to serve on Saturday.

Bubbles galore are always divine on the last night of the year, but so are more esoteric wines and even some great, complex reds can be perfect with intense greens and big meats we might enjoy on New Year’s Eve.

Planning for Your Guests

If you are entertaining at home plan ahead and offer a diverse selection of wines. The easiest thing to do it open a number of whites and put them in a big ice bucket next to stemware so guests can arrive and pour themselves a glass of something delicious.

Or pour some bubbles for them on arrival in flutes—or just regular wine glasses—as the aromas are easier to appreciate. Franciacorta, like Prosecco on steroids, is a great place to start. Some of my favorite producers are Berlucchi, Bellavista and Ca’ del Bosco.

Nicolas Feuillatte is one of the better, and more affordable, Champagnes and Crémant—sparkling wines made outside of the Champagne region—can be dynamite. The Loire Valley and Alsace are two of my favorite regions, and Burgundy also makes some great Crémant. Lucien Albrecht from Alsace is one of my favorites and is available in many markets.

You can then segue your guests onto lighter reds—Pinot Noirs, go Oregon; or Loire Valley Cabernet Franc-based gems. It all depends on what you are serving.

What to Offer for the Meal

Give every guest two guests so they can enjoy both whites and reds. There is, and should never be, any shame in going back and forth during the meal between whites and reds. And it won’t give you a hangover. Also, if you plan on serving a number of wines, put a dump bucket in the middle of the table so guests can switch up their choices.

I favor major meats for the holidays. Never having been a turkey fan, I go Porterhouse, lamb chops or veal. These need big reds: the best of Napa Valley blends and the more corpulent reds from the Cabernet-based left bank of Bordeaux.

French wines from the Rhone and Cahors are also great partners for these meats. So are Argentine Malbecs, and Bonardas, try Zuccardi among other Bonarda producers from Mendoza for starters.

To Wind Down

At the end of the meal whites go best with cheese. Bubbles and lighter wines also refresh the palate. Take a step back and offer some cool and refreshing wines with a cheese plate or a slightly off-dry Sauternes—from Bordeaux—with a crème caramel.

Ports and Cognacs are also a great way to wrap up a meal. You can chat, sip and enjoy by the fireside. They are also known to help you and your loved ones digest a big meal.

Happy new year!