A French Christmas with Chateau Fongaban and Domaine de l’Hortus

ely has a great selection of French wines and 2 of our domaines, Chateau Fongaban and Domaine de l’Hortus, have kindly sent us in their Christmas Day menus.

Pierre Taix of hateau Fongaban is as follows:

Aperitif
Champagne Egly-Ouriet Blanc de Noirs

Lamproie à la bordelaise (From my mother only)
La Mauriane 2004 –Puisseguin saint-Emilion
One of the best Bordeaux 2004 dixit Jean-Marc Quarin

Raviole de Fois gras aux cèpes (This year was very good for the cèpes)
Chateau Fongaban 1971 Puisseguin Saint-Emilion–
1971 is certainly the best vintage for the saint-emilion area of the seventies

Pigeonneaux en cocotte with truffes
Château Fongaban 1950 Puisseguin Saint-Emilion
My favorite vintage

Fondant au chocolat – (The recipe of Alain Ducasse in his book “Bistro”)
Banyuls Coume del Mas
The best accord food-wine

Yves Orliac of Domaine de L’Hortus will be having a very Mediterranean Christmas menu which looks absolutely mouth-watering.

Apéritif : There are different toasts.

• Toast of Black and green “tapenade”.
• A little bit of “Boutargue” (Mediterranean caviar).
• Jam and sausage from Corsica.

Starters :

• Wild smoked salmon (from Ireland) on “tartine” of black bread with butter and a stalk of dill.
• Oysters from Marennes with a lemon or vinegar sauce with herbs.
• And of course “Foie Gras” with Guerande’s salt.
• Green salad (with no eggs).

Main Course :

• Turbot fish cooked in the beer (It is a “spécialitée” of Sylvie Courselle).

Dessert :

• Cheese board : Roquefort, goat’s cheese…
• Chocolat’s cake (Frederique loves chocolate)

Want to learn more about Bordeaux or Southern French wines or  improve your culinary skills with a cookery course: ely has all the answers: click here to see the full range of events and tastings next year.