Normally at this time of the year, I write about the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners that we attend, and we usually just take a turkey or her famous Caesar Salad, and of course bottles of wine. 

Everything was going great on Christmas Eve, as my Bride was making a turkey and I was carving it and placing it in one of the many electric warm trays, in case we ever go into catering.  Back in June of this year, I had a hernia procedure, and this morning I discovered that it had popped up again.  I told her that I thought I could make it through the holiday season.  Alas, I was wrong, as I couldn’t even make it through the day.  We discovered that our internist was on holiday, and his service recommended I go to an Emergency Care facility, we went and it was not affiliated with my doctors or surgeons, so we ended up going to the Emergency room at our hospital.  I am a terrible patient, but after nausea medication and morphine in the IV, I was calm enough for all the tests, including a visit from one of the associates of the original surgeon, who was corresponding with the Chief Partner, who was my surgeon.  After about six hours, I went home and my Bride took all the Christmas presents for the people that we were going to see that day.

On Christmas day, my Bride went to church without me, as she had to lector and also because of the crowd, she also functioned as a Eucharistic Minister, so she was in the spirit of the Season.  She came home and made Poached Eggs, bacon and Mimosas.  We now have at the house, the same “California Champagne” that most of the restaurants use, as it is strictly for the commercial trade and not sold retail.  We have our version of the “Bottomless Mimosas,” with a bottle of bubbles and a very small carafe of Orange Juice, which is where I came up with the term “a tincture of Orange Juice.” I have finally decided that Orange Juice is dearer, compared to Charmat Method William Wycliff Winery “Brut” “American Champagne” NV, which is now part of Gallo (and they probably bought the winery for the designation).  A wine that was grandfathered in, so that it can claim the “American Champagne” designation and is I believe still made with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.  This wine is perfect for making Mimosas and we try to keep a case at home, just for our breakfasts when we feel fancy.

Later, that day, my Bride made us dinner from the turkey, and stuffing that she had made to take to another party, but my trip to the emergency room precluded that trip.  I figured that we make the most of the day, as I may not be able to enjoy any wine if I am on meds.  To pair with the turkey, I chose a bottle of Domaine Gilles Noblet “La Collonge” Pouilly-Fuissé 2022.  Pouilly-Fuissé is known for the famous white wines of the Maconnais, and the appellation was awarded in 1936, but had actually been structured back in 1922.  It is exclusively Chardonnay and grown on limestone-rich clay over a granite base.  Since the 2020 vintage, a Premier Cru appellation level was approved and there are twenty-two Premier Crus.  Domaine Gilles Noblet was founded in the village of Fuissé in 1927 with a current vineyard of twelve hectares.  It was during the fourth generation led by Gilles Noblet, who began bottling their own wines and moved the estate and new cellar to “En Collonge.” They are now in the fifth generation and in 2019 were certified as a high environmental value operation.  At harvest the bunches undergo pneumatic pressing and settled for twenty-four hours at low temperature, then the juice is placed in casks and oak barrels for both Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation; with aging on fine lees for twelve months.  A soft-golden-yellow wine that offers notes of lemon and citrus, hazelnuts, and spices.  On the palate beautiful tones of fruit, and spices, big and fresh, balanced, and ending with a splash of salinity, perfect for dinner.