Sipping Your Way Through December '25: Day 1

When my girls were little, December mornings started with a mad dash to the advent calendar: tiny wooden doors flying open, the promise of candy fueling the countdown to Christmas. Those sugar-dusted memories still make me smile, even now that the kids are grown.

Which is why I’m bringing back my grown-up version of the ritual, Sipping Your Way Through December. Instead of morningtime chocolates and peppermint sticks, we’ll open each evening with a bottle that adds a little shine and interest to the season. And, IMO, nothing starts a celebration better than Champagne, so that’s where we’ll begin.

Day 1: Guy Larmandier Vertus Premier Cru Brut

My husband and I first fell for this Champagne during our anniversary dinner at The Modern in NYC. Before we even opened the menu, the sommelier appeared and poured two complimentary glasses, a gesture that set the tone for an unforgettable night.

Guy Larmandier is a family-owned grower-producer in the Côte des Blancs. The estate owns 9 hectares of vineyards, distributed amongst the Grand Cru villages of Chouilly and Cramant and the 1er Cru vineyards of Vertus and Cuis. The wines are classic, understated, and all about purity. This bottling, an 80/20 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, is crisp and focused, with chalky minerality, citrus zest, and a subtle floral lift. It’s refreshing yet layered, the kind of Champagne you can happily sip straight through a meal.

If you’d like to find a bottle near you (retails for about $55-60), here’s the link: wine-searcher.com.