Kévin de la cave La part des anges, et sa sélection de bouteilles à mettre sur sa table le soir du réveillon. Midi Libre – E.A.
With, as a bonus, advice on food and wine pairings, to bring out all the aromas of the vintages.
Once the Christmas meal (or meals) is over, some are already getting down to preparing for New Year's Eve. The question that arises is: what menu to serve to the guests and what bottle to accompany the dishes with ? Four wine merchants based in Nîmes have tried to answer this question, by offering their favorite white and red wines, with a suggestion for food and wine pairings. Local wines, of course, but also some from neighboring regions.
La cave à Bobo
Boris Chabanel and Estelle Vidal, new arrivals at the Nîmes market with La cave à Bobo. Midi Libre – E.A.
He is the new kid on the block at the Nîmes market. Boris Chabanel, from the Bobo cellar, opened his stall less than two weeks ago, just before the holidays. And already, customers are coming back, won over by the wine merchant's advice. For New Year's Eve, the thirty-year-old is offering a red bottle, Les Agapans from the Poulvarel estate, based in Sernhac in the Gard. A 2021 vintage that is “a very fine vintage”, Boris Chabanel emphasizes. “The wine was aged for 24 months in oak barrels, which makes the tannin very fine and a round wine on the palate. And it comes from one of the oldest vines on the estate”, he adds. Composed mainly of Grenache and Syrah, the wine offers notes of ripe fruit and sweet spices, observes the wine merchant. “For those who are a little angry with Costières, it's a great way to reconcile”, he specifies. On the palate, Boris recommends serving this wine with red meat. “A tournedos Rossini for example, with a nice reduction of wine sauce and nice slices of bread soaked in fat”. €30 per bottle.
For white wine, the wine merchant at Les Halles offers its favorite vintage: Extra from the Xavier Vignon estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. An innovative vintage, created in the Vinarium®, a concept inspired by underwater breeding techniques, and where the wine itself serves as a maturation medium. From this breeding were born two vintages: the Intra and the Extra. “It's a Côtes-du-Rhône, mainly composed of Clairette and Grenache, but also Picpoul and Roussanne. It retains a lot of freshness and is a little honeyed, with buttery and brioche aromas”, explains Boris Chabanel. “A perfect bottle to accompany foie gras, but also a creamy cod back with a truffle risotto for example, or a nice poultry”, he suggests. €23.
5 rue des Halles. Open 7 days a week until December 31, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. On January 1, 2025, open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
La part des anges
A few steps away, on rue Guizot, Kevin from the La part des anges winery offers a local red wine: the 2023 Bien Luné vintage. A Terre des Chardons from the Sainte-Marie-des-Costières estate in Bellegarde. “A biodynamic wine, with good fluidity in the mouth and aromas of red fruits, licorice and slightly pepper”, specifies the trained sommelier. Composed mainly of Grenache and Syrah, it can accompany a nice white meat, suggests Kevin. “A poultry with morels and chestnuts for example”. Note, to release all the aromas, opening an hour before tasting is recommended. €13.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000On the white side, the seller also offers a 2023 vintage: La Pura Vida by Antoine Armanet, based in Garons. “A blend of Roussanne and Viognier, offering a fairly complex wine, with aromas of white fruits, dried fruits, but also honey and stewed fruits like apple”, he explains. For the main course ? “It goes very well with shellfish, scallops or even sea bass or monkfish”. €14.
143 Route de Sauve and 9 rue Guizot. Open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. except Sundays, closing at 1 p.m. Closed on January 1st.
Beer and wine are also alcohol-free!
While most of their products are with alcohol, some wine merchants have started to turn to alcohol-free products to attract new customers. And all of them are currently using the Domaine de l'Arjolle, based in Pouzolles in Hérault, as their reference. Kévin from the La Part des Anges winery offers a sparkling Viognier Sauvignon to finish the meal. A great accompaniment to an iced log or exotic fruits. €13.
At Mas des agriculteurs, Gilles offers the Arjolle Zero white wine. “It is invigorating, with a lot of vivacity”, he emphasizes. Perfect for an aperitif, but also lobsters or monkfish, suggests the wine merchant.
Finally, at the market halls, if for the moment, Boris does not yet sell alcohol-free products, it will be done in a few days. “We should bring in the Degré Z from the Brasserie des Garrigues, which is organic and gluten-free”, he projects. A drink that he suggests tasting with certain cheeses, such as Abondance or Picodon.
Histoire de vin
Anne and Christin from Histoire de vin take their customers on a journey with their choice of wines. Midi Libre – E.A.
In her choices, for a holiday meal that takes you on a journey, Anne from Histoire de vins, rue Notre-Dame, chooses wines from neighboring regions. Starting with red, with the Saint-Joseph Nomade, a 2020 vintage from the Christophe Curtat estate in Tournon-sur-Rhône. “A very fine reference for one of the finest appellations”, she confides. 100% Syrah, the wine is slightly spicy, pairing perfectly according to the saleswoman, with a stuffed chicken or capon. €42.40.
For the white, Anne recommends the Midi, a 2022 Saumur wine by the winemaker Arnaud Lambert, in Maine-et-Loire. A 100% Sauvignon, full-bodied and round. “It's one of the small wines that are on the rise. It goes very well with oysters, because it has a boxwood flavor, a little lemony. You can also pair it with grilled fish or even foie gras”, she suggests. €23.20.
18 rue Notre-Dame. Open from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Mas des agriculteurs
At the farmers' farmhouse, Gilles made a 100% local selection.
At the farmers' farmhouse, Gilles, the wine merchant, unhesitatingly recommends the Sainte-Cécile en Costières de Nîmes, 2021, from the Château de l'Ermite d'Auzan, as a red wine. “It was aged for twelve months in barrels, which makes it a powerful, invigorating wine”, he explains. Composed of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache, it produces notes of black fruits, olives and tapenade. A bottle that can be enjoyed with a deer or wild boar stew. €13.
His choice of white wine falls on the Sommières cellar, with Fleur sauvage, vintage 2021. A blend composed of Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Vermentino. “It has quite toasted, brioche aromas because it was aged in oak barrels, which will give the palate a patina”, explains Gilles. A perfect vintage to accompany a sole meunière, a veal medallion with morels or even fresh cheese. €14.90.
581 Rue Michel Debré. Open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.