Have a Sparkling Holiday Season: Hosting and Party Tips From Champagne Pommery

Hosting season is officially here and whether you’re throwing a festive fall dinner, Thanksgiving feast, December holiday party, or New Year’s Eve toast, Champagne is the perfect drink to have on hand to celebrate. Champagne Pommery shares insider tips for effortless entertaining, festive pairings, and keeping the season as low-key as possible. 

Best Champagnes for the Holiday Season

First, which Champagne goes best with your holiday party? Luckily, according to Pauline Vranken, CEO of Vranken Pommery America, Champagne is an easy fit for many seasonal occasions and popular holiday plates. “Champagne is one of the most versatile wines at the table, able to complement a wide range of flavors,” Vranken says. Try these types of Champagne Pommery to pair best with top holiday dishes: 

Pommery Brut Royal: “The house’s flagship cuvée, Brut Royal embodies the fresh, elegant style that has made Pommery famous,” Vranken says. “With its fine bubbles, lively citrus, and white flower notes, it shines both as an aperitif and at the table. From Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce to smoked salmon or festive hors d’oeuvres, its versatility makes it the perfect bottle for every holiday moment.”

Cuvée Louise 2005: “The house’s prestige cuvée, crafted only in exceptional vintages, offers remarkable depth and finesse,” explains Vranken. “Its layers of toasted brioche, citrus, and mineral elegance make it the perfect companion for a Christmas roast or a rich lobster thermidor—an elegant nod to France on an American holiday table.”

Serving Champagne Like a Pro—Glassware, Temperature, and Atmosphere

Of course, choosing the right bottle is only half the experience—how you present it matters just as much. For starters, different occasions call for different glassware. “The glass makes the Champagne,” says Vranken. “Flutes bring timeless elegance, coupes add vintage glamour, and wine glasses allow aromas and flavors to fully unfold. Choosing the right glassware ensures Pommery reveals all its finesse.”

Aside from glassware, think about the temperature at which you’re serving Champagne, as this can affect taste. According to Vranken, chilling Champagne in ice water for 30 minutes or refrigerating it for at least three hours brings out its best flavors. “The ideal serving temperature is 46–50°F (8–10°C), ensuring every glass captures Champagne Pommery at its best,” says Vranken. Consider serving the Champagne from an elegant ice bucket to keep it cooled as guests enjoy. 

A well-planned tablescape can help Champagne really sparkle, too. Vranken suggests playing around with “candlelight and greenery” to create the ideal atmosphere for a holiday tablescape. 

The Best Champagne to Gift This Holiday Season

In addition to serving Champagne at your own gatherings, consider it as a thoughtful gift this holiday season. Vranken shares that arriving at a party or other special occasion with a bottle of Champagne is customary in France. As for which Champagne Pommery to bring, Vranken suggests the new Apanage 1874.

“Blended from 17 of Champagne’s finest crus with a majority of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay balanced by Meunier, it offers notes of white flowers, citrus zest, and refined minerality,” Vranken tells us. “Its striking bottle, winner of a Gold Medal at the 2025 Wine Packaging Masters, is as elegant as the wine itself.”

Simple Ways to Keep Holiday Hosting Stress-Free

The holiday hosting and party season is fun, but it can be exhausting, too. Vranken cautions that “entertaining should be joyful, not stressful,” and calls out Madame Jeanne Alexandrine Pommery as hosting inspiration. “A visionary and a gracious hostess, she was renowned in 19th-century France for bringing people together around her table and introducing them to the joy of Champagne,” Vranken says. 

For those seeking a little relief after the holiday season wraps up, consider booking a trip to Domaine Pommery in Reims, France, where Vranken tells us that guests can tour the historic chalk cellars, visit a contemporary art museum, and dine at the estate’s restaurant. 

The Related Life is written and produced by the Related Life Editorial Team. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest events, news, and announcements in your area, and tag us for a chance to be featured @therelatedlife and #therelatedlife.