A Burgundy Christmas Feast 2025: A French-Inspired Holiday Dinner
French-inspired Christmas dinner
The Christmas season in Burgundy is a time of quiet beauty and deep warmth. Soft winter light over the vineyards, stone fireplaces glowing in village homes, and kitchens filled with the aromas of slow, thoughtful cooking. At Domaine de Cromey, we blend these Burgundian traditions with our American roots to create a holiday table that feels both familiar and wonderfully French.
This year’s French-inspired Christmas dinner brings together comforting flavors, seasonal ingredients, and perfectly paired Burgundy wines. The menu reflects what we love most about Burgundy—elegance without pretension, generosity without excess, and food that celebrates both place and people.
We have curated some wine sets that will pair very well with this menu. They have been selected so that they will pair well with the type of festive fair we all enjoy around the holidays even if you decide to go with a different menu. We have 12 bottle cases as well as a six pack with a range of price points to suit everyone. Click here to see the selections.
A New Centerpiece for Christmas: Bavette de Bœuf Rôtie aux Épices d’Hiver
Roasted Flank Steak with Winter Spices & Red Wine Jus
While classic French roast beef (Rôti de Bœuf) has always been a holiday favorite, our 2025 Burgundy Christmas dinner introduces a new centerpiece: bavette de bœuf, or flank steak, roasted whole with winter spices and finished with a rich red wine jus.
Bavette is beloved in Burgundy for its deep flavor and tenderness. It cooks quickly, absorbs aromatics beautifully, and pairs perfectly with red Burgundy.
This dish feels festive, rustic, and unmistakably Burgundian.
Ingredients (serves 6–8)
For the beef
- 2–2.5 lbs bavette (flank steak), whole
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp crushed juniper berries
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- Zest of 1 orange
- Fresh thyme and rosemary
For the red wine jus
- 1 cup red Burgundy
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly (or cranberry sauce)
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
1. Marinate the beef
Combine olive oil, mustard, garlic, spices, orange zest, salt, and pepper. Rub generously over the bavette. Add herbs and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
2. Roast
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Sear the beef 2 minutes per side in a very hot skillet.
Transfer to the oven and roast:
- 8–10 minutes for medium-rare
- 10–12 minutes for medium
Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing across the grain.
3. Make the jus
Sauté shallots in the same pan. Deglaze with Burgundy wine, add beef stock and redcurrant jelly, and simmer until glossy. Finish with butter.
4. Serve
Slice and fan on a platter, spooning warm jus over the top.
This is a perfect Burgundy Christmas beef dish—deeply flavorful, aromatic, and ideal with festive red wines.
Appetizer: Smoked Salmon Rillettes with Lemon & Chives
For a French-American beginning to your dinner, start with smoked salmon rillettes. This Burgundian-inspired spread is rich, elegant, and effortless—ideal with a glass of Crémant as guests arrive.
Ingredients
- 8 oz smoked salmon
- 2 oz softened butter
- 4 oz crème fraîche
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- Black pepper
Instructions
Mix everything together, chill for one hour, and serve on toasted baguette or crackers.
Wine Pairing
Crémant de Bourgogne
Our holiday pairing case includes an excellent Crémant from a top Burgundy producer—perfect for this course.
Side Dish 1: Pommes Anna with Brown Butter & Thyme
This elegant potato dish is a crisp, buttery alternative to Gratin Dauphinois. Thin layers of potatoes caramelize into golden, tender perfection—luxurious and deceptively simple.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
- 6 tbsp brown butter
- Sea salt
- Fresh thyme
Instructions
Layer thinly sliced potatoes in a pan, brushing each layer with brown butter and seasoning lightly. Bake 45–55 minutes at 375°F (190°C) until deeply golden.
Side Dish 2: Honey-Glazed Carrots with White Wine
A classic French glacé technique elevates humble carrots into a glossy, fragrant side dish. The touch of honey and white wine gives them a festive brightness.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs carrots
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup dry white Burgundy
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
Simmer all ingredients in a wide pan until the liquid evaporates and the carrots glaze beautifully.
Side Dish 3: Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon & Hazelnuts
Inspired by Burgundy’s hazelnut groves, this warm salad offers contrast and depth.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 4 oz lardons or thick bacon
- 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
Instructions
Crisp the lardons, caramelize the sprouts, deglaze with vinegar, and finish with toasted hazelnuts.
Dessert: Pear & Almond Tarte Bourdaloue
Instead of a traditional Bûche de Noël, this year we finish with a Tarte Bourdaloue—a Parisian classic that pairs beautifully with white Burgundy. It’s lighter than a Yule log, fragrant with pears, and elegant on a winter table.
Ingredients
- Sweet tart crust (pâte sucrée)
- 3–4 ripe pears
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Fill tart shell with almond cream, arrange pears on top, and bake at 350°F (175°C) until golden. Dust with powdered sugar.
A perfect finish to a Burgundy Christmas dinner.
General Wine Themes by Course
Cremant de Bourgogne
For the aperitif and smoked salmon rillettes
Effervescent, festive, and quintessentially Burgundian.
Chablis or Mâcon-Villages
With the appetizer or lighter courses
Clean, mineral whites that highlight citrus and herbs.
Red Burgundy (Pommard, Mercurey, Santenay, Corton)
With the Bavette de Bœuf
Spice, red fruit, and silky tannins meet rich winter flavors.
Puligny-Montrachet or full-bodied white Burgundy
With dessert, cheese, or simply as a final glass
Elegant, complex whites that compliment pear, almond, and pastry.
Our specific Burgundy Wine Pairings for Christmas Dinner
Aperitif: Louis Picamelot Cremant de Bourgogne ‘Les Reipes’
Appetizer: Smoked Salmon Rillettes with Lemon & Chives
Wine Pairing: Jean Dauvissat Pere et Fils Chablis Mont-Main Sourdelle 2023
Main Course: Bavette de Bœuf Rôtie aux Épices d’Hiver
Wine Pairing: Hospices de Beaune Pommard 1er Cru ‘Dames de la Charite’ 2020
Or: Capitain Gagnerot Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru ‘Les Moutottes’ 2022
Dessert: Tarte Bourdaloue (Pear & Almond Tart)
Wine Pairing: Gilles Bouton Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘La Garenne’ 2022
To move to specific wines from this general guide click here to find some great already curated selections for your holidays.
Celebrate a French-American Christmas at Home
A Burgundy-inspired Christmas dinner isn’t about strict traditions—it’s about warmth, generosity, and time around the table. This 2025 menu brings together everything we love about the season: refined flavors, approachable recipes, and wines that truly elevate the experience.
From all of us at Domaine de Cromey and burgundywine.com, we wish you a joyful, delicious, and beautifully French American holiday season.
Joyeux Noël—and cheers to a Burgundy Christmas!