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The Holiday
Hedonist

I've been more nice than naughty and I know that Santa is a generous man, so here is how I would envision a glorious Christmas dinner for family and friends. Consider me the Holiday Hedonist -- you're not going to find any budget wines here. But all of them are available locally or can be ordered from a fine-wine retailer.

I would start exactly at 6 p.m. with a bottle of 1990 Krug ($175), my favorite champagne. The 1990 is decadently rich with tremendous complexity. It has everything that champagne lovers enjoy: aromas of freshly baked bread, ripe notes of citrus and pomelo, candied apples and a complex hint of ginger snaps and creme brulee. It is beautifully dry, intense and so pleasurable.

Next I'd open a bottle of 1996 Moet et Chandon Dom Perignon ($110). Some people think Dom Perignon is just a popular name. My opinion is that without the quality in the bottle, it just wouldn't sell. The 1996 Dom is a terrific, youthful champagne showing plenty of ripe fruit, an almost sweet scent of toasted bread and pretty of minerality. Its round texture is found only in the best vintages. I would serve it with canapes of crepe-wrapped smoked salmon, roasted mushroom and tomato crostini and oysters on the half shell.

Then I'd move onto some great white burgundy. The 2001 Francois Jobard Meursault Genevrieres Premier Cru ($75) is one of prettiest expressions of chardonnay available. It reminds me of white flowers, honeysuckle, sweet white peach and pears, along with a pretty lace of vanillin. Its taste is supremely elegant, silky even, with racy flavors of citrus, poached apples and a hint of marzipan on the super-long finish.

Next I would pop a bottle of 1997 Bouchard Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru ($140). Chevalier Montrachet is one of the greatest vineyards for chardonnay and this wine has a wonderful richness and complexity that can only come from wines with great balance and intensity. It smells of beautiful candied apples, a nice hint of limestone earth and a texture of elegance. The lobster will be just finished off on the grill; the sautéed sea bass with lobster sauce will be ready to serve. I can already smell the truffle oil.

Into red-wine country we will go with the 1998 Dominique Laurent Mazi Chambertin Grand Cru ($100), a very, very limited pinot noir from the Cote d'Or in France. This wine has a formidable scent of freshly crushed cherry and cranberry with a note of sweet vanillin and cedar, tea-like spice. It is more masculine than some other grand crus, but that leads us into the 1998 Mongeard Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru ($120). This wine slides down like silk, with waves of sweet cherry, light tannin and a soft finish. Together with grilled salmon or rack of lamb, these wines perform magic on the palate.

For the home-baked custard pie I would choose the 2000 Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Heimbourg Selections de Grains Nobles ($75/375 mL). Intensely sweet, but balanced by a zinging acidity, this classic dessert wine can live forever.

But since we can't live forever, why not have an extra piece of pie? Enjoy more time with the ones you love. Make the moments memorable.

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