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Which are the best wines for Christmas 2018? From crisp whites to nuanced reds and tasty dessert wines, the best drinks to go with the best meal of the year.
Take your pick of restaurants for feasting on turkey to tacos and everything in between in the City of Angels this festive season.No one could blame Cruz Bilbro for being nervous. For one thing, the vintner had never spoken to a ballroom packed with hundreds of people before. For another, it was past his bedtime. The 10-year-old was on stage at Carnivale du Vin, the New Orleans charity auction founded by chef Emeril Lagasse. Cruz is the son of Limerick Lane Winery owner Jake Bilbro, and he had made his own barrel of Grenache from the family’s Russian River Valley property to auction. All proceeds went to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.
“Emeril Lagasse came to my farm and gave me a hundred bucks, and now we are partners and I am thankful for it,” explained Cruz. “I gave him a barrel of my wine and we are going to help a school.”
Cruz’s wine proved to be a highlight in a weekend of generosity that raised more than $3 million for youth-oriented culinary, nutrition and arts education programs in New Orleans and beyond. The live auction on Nov. 10 raised close to $1.1 million.
Named Too’s Babor Grenache 2016, for the name the boy called himself before he could say Cruz Bilbro, the wine came adorned with a crayon drawing of Cruz’s favorite tractor. For several years now, Jake has been putting his kids to work, both in the vineyard and the cellar. But after meeting Emeril, Cruz was moved to do something more. He also traveled to New Orleans for the weekend, visiting several of the charities helped by the foundation, including St. Michael’s School, which serves children with special needs.
For other guests, the weekend started Nov. 9 with performances by beneficiaries at the Youth Empowerment Project, followed by a lunch at Café Reconcile, a nonprofit restaurant staffed by at-risk youth receiving job training. A cold rain stopped in time for the evening’s main event, Boudin, Bourbon & Beer, where thousands of guests enjoyed dishes from more than 70 chefs and top-notch whiskeys and craft beers while listening to music outside the Superdome in Champions Square.
Saturday night saw the action move to the Hilton New Orleans Riverside for the live-auction gala. Attendees could enjoy wines from some of California’s best vintners, including this year’s “Honorary Bacchus,” Barbara Banke, chairman of Jackson Family Wines. “You do fabulous work here,” she told the crowd. “I’m so impressed.”
As the crowd enjoyed a grand dinner cooked and served by young talents working at beneficiaries like Café Reconcile, Liberty’s Kitchen and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), the live auction began. Top wine-themed lots included 5L & 5 Courses, a meal for three couples, prepared by Emeril at his house in New Orleans, paired with a 5-liter bottle of the 2011 Wine Spectator Wine of the Year, the Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast 2009, opened by Kosta Browne founder Dan Kosta at the table. The lot sold for $100,000.
The Danica’s Exclusive Napa Valley lot offered a weekend in Napa for six couples, hosted by retired race-car driver and Napa vintner Danica Patrick. As bidding ramped up, Patrick stood up and offered to throw in one of her old racing suits. The lot brought in $32,000.
But perhaps the biggest moment of the night was when Cruz took the stage with his dad and Emeril to offer cases and bottles of Too’s Babor. Bidders raised paddles at varying prices. By the time the dust settled, 22 bidders had donated $325,000 to the foundation, making it the biggest lot of the evening. Then the young winemaker went upstairs to bed.
Bottles of Too’s Babor can still be purchased at the foundation website. Since 2002, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation has given more than $10.5 million to charitable efforts.
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From German stollen bread and roast ham to a festive Christmas punch and potato soufflé – you can’t miss these delicious gluten-free Christmas dishes.
The final chapter of our journey to alternative restaurants run by or owned by acclaimed chefs all around the world. Last stop: Asia and Australia.Eight ingredients, plus pantry staples. That’s all it takes to make an entire meal from scratch. Add in a good bottle of wine for less than $20, and you’ve got a feast for family or friends.
Cooking is often about the total transformation of ingredients. But it’s refreshing to showcase the natural essence of a few components, especially those with delicate flavors, like the cod and zucchini in this recipe.
The key to making simple dishes delicious is seasoning at each stage. For these parchment paper–wrapped packets, you’ll salt and pepper in between layers, building flavor into each bite. The carrot and zucchini add sweetness, but you can swap in pretty much any vegetable that can be cut into thin strips, as well as your favorite herb (or herbs) in place of rosemary.
The parchment-paper packets act as individual steamers in the oven, melding all the flavors as they roast together. The cooking liquids create a juicy filet and a savory-sweet, citrusy sauce that drips down to the vegetables, infusing them with flavor. Once you pull the packets from the oven, you have a fully composed dish. Unlike most “set it and forget it” dishes, it’s ready in less than 30 minutes.
Just as the lemon, capers and tomatoes add juicy acidity that complements the cod, a bright, zesty white like a Sauvignon Blanc will balance all the flavors well. I went with one from a producer based in the Loire Valley, the Saget La Perrière Sauvignon Blanc Vin de France La Petite Perrière 2017; its herbaceous character brought out the rosemary element in the dish, while its citrus notes enhanced the lemon.
So grab a bottle—or a few—because this dish works as both a last-minute weeknight meal or a showstopper at your next dinner party. Serve the packets as is, and let guests unwrap the surprise!
Pair with a bright, acidic white such as Saget La Perrière Sauvignon Blanc Vin de France La Petite Perrière 2017 (87 points, $13).
Prep time: 12 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 27 minutes
Approximate food costs: $25
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut four 1-foot-by-1-foot pieces of parchment paper.
2. For each piece of parchment paper: Add about 5 zucchini strips, 5 carrot strips and 8 tomato halves. Season with salt and pepper, and place a piece of cod on top. Season cod with salt and pepper, top with 3 lemon slices and 1 teaspoon of capers. Sprinkle with olive oil and white wine, and place a rosemary sprig on top.
3. Fold opposite sides of the parchment paper so they cover the fish, then make several small, tight folds on the two other sides to seal up the packets. Place packets on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 12 minutes, or 14 minutes for slightly larger filets. When done, the fish should easily flake with a fork.
4. Transfer each packet to a plate and open carefully, being cautious of the hot steam. Serves 4.
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