I am planning my menu for Christmas Dinner and would love to have a wine to go with each course but I don't really know enough to pick the right wines. The menus is as follows:

Pear, Arugula & Endive Salad with Candied Walnuts and a Warm Sherry Vinaigrette

Roasted Carrot & Chestnut Soup (with a hint of ginger)

Beef Tenderloin with Bordelaise Sauce, Caramelized Root Vegetables & Shallots

Pears Poached in Port with Cinnamon Ice Cream

I welcome any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Welcome to VinoCellar, Judy.

Here is my recommendations:

1)'02 Selaks Premium Selection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough $12

2)I would steer clear of wine w/ the soup, but that's just me.

3)This screams Cab to me. I would try to find the '99 Whitehall Lane Cab $35 or '00 Casa Lapostolle Rapel Valley $13, if you wanted something less expensive.

4)'00 Domaine de Coyeux Muscat Beaumes de Venise $13. Should match the pears very well.

Sounds like a great menu. Enjoy.

jb

Oops missed the pears being in Port. Maybe go with a Late Bottled Vintage Port from Sandeman.

jb

Welcome Judy!

My ideas would include:

Course 1 - Champage/Sparkling Wine
Course 2 - Sauvignon Blanc / Non-Malo Chardonnay
Course 3 - Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot
Course 4 - Tawny/Vintage Port (if there's alot of port in the sauce) - Otherwise an Aussie Stickie or Sauternes

Do you have any price limits you're looking to set? Do you need one bottle per course?

Depending on your budget:

Charles Ellner Carte D'or Brut
Maybe a Viognier with the soup (I've never had roasted carrot & chestnut soup, shooting in the dark on that one!)
D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie
Niepoort LBV Port 1997

Welcome Judy -

You may want to consider allowing the soup to stand alone, i.e. don't serve a wine with it.

Someone recommended this option to me for a dinner I hosted this past summer and it worked quite well. Five courses, four wines.

Just a thought.

The price range would have to be around $20 because we may need two bottles for each course.

Can I have your recipes, Judy?

Also, why not match a wine to the soup? Carrot & Chestnut soup? Sounds like an earthy wine might work, or even a nutty chard. I ain't the greatest at this pairing stuff, by I try aanything and learn from my numerous mistakes.