Tips for New Year’s Eve wines

December 31 is the last chance of the year to gather around a table and toast with a special wine. So how should that wine be?

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Introduction

Choosing the right wine

The art of drinking gives real importance to the choice of wine for this occasion: celebrating New Year's Eve without wine is like a dance without an orchestra.

Aperitif: informal but chic

Americans like a cocktail, or a whiskey with soda and ice. Grace Kelly loved a cocktail made with bourbon whiskey, grenadine (a soft drink made from pomegranate) and cream. Frank Sinatra loved chilled glasses filled with high-alcohol cocktails, an explosive combination for all the senses. Robert De Niro had his Dirty Martini, an extra strong cocktail, shaken and served with vodka and three black olives.

The French prefer Pernod or Champagne, the British prefer Sherry. Italians choose dry sparkling wine or dry white wines, fresh and quite soft, with aromas of white fruit, served at a temperature of 8 °C: this category includes Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Gavi, Terre di Franciacorta Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Verdicchio.

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At the table

Dinner

With a rich, glittering table, a good risotto with prosecco makes a fine start. The table should have at least four glasses: one for water, one for red wine, one for white wine, and flutes for champagne; for a touch of romance, a beautiful champagne glass adds charm to the toast.

The wine: great labels for great dishes

For this evening we recommend great wines, such as Brunello di Montalcino or Barolo, paired with succulent, flavorful dishes like Florentine steak or pot roast. The wines should be served in glasses of the right shape, at the right serving temperature, and decanted if needed.

The ceremonial

For this occasion we recommend a bit of ceremony around the wine tasting, because it increases the pleasure of the table.

Dessert and meditation wines

Wines meant to be tasted outside a meal are called "meditation wines," prized for organoleptic qualities that set them apart from all others: think of Tuscan Vin Santo, Moscato from Alto Adige, and Marsala.

One wine after another

Wine should be served in a rising order, just like the courses: it isn't good to eat the cake before the roast, and the same holds true for wine.

1. Start with the younger wines, which usually have simpler flavors, before moving to the older ones.
2. White wines come before rosés, then reds, followed by dessert wines.
3. Among these, lighter, lower-alcohol wines come before fuller-bodied, higher-alcohol ones.
4. Liqueur wines are served last, because their high alcohol and sugar content would otherwise cover every other sensation.

The midnight toast

At midnight, as the new year begins, raise a glass of sparkling wine or champagne to the sky without clinking glasses together: what matters is a smile, a wish to be granted, and a toast to a free life full of new beginnings. As Ernest Hemingway put it:

Drinking is a way to end the day.

Thank you and Happy New Year!

FAQ

What temperature should Italian dry white and sparkling wines be served at?

Italians choose dry sparkling wine or dry white wines served at a temperature of 8 °C.

How many glasses should be set at the table for New Year's Eve dinner?

The table should have at least four glasses: one for water, one for red wine, one for white wine, and flutes for champagne.

Which wines pair well with the main dishes of the evening?

Great wines such as Brunello di Montalcino or Barolo are recommended, paired with dishes like Florentine steak or pot roast.

In what order should wines be served during the meal?

Wine should be served in a rising order: white wines come before rosés, then reds, followed by dessert wines, with liqueur wines served last.

What should you do at the midnight toast?

At midnight, you raise a glass of sparkling wine or champagne to the sky without clinking glasses together.