Christmas lunch is an opportunity to indulge and to many of us, that’s plenty of good wine to accompany our tasty meal. Which wine to you pick? We’ve listed below a few of our top picks for the festive meal as well as during the period through to Christmas. We’ve presented a summary of the most popular pairings and also our own spins (either an affordable alternative or something that is different from the norm) that include the most well-known foods for Christmas within the UK.
Sweets and treats for the holiday season:
Miniature Pies Mulled wine is a classic drink during the build-up to Christmas. It’s a great drink to enjoy on Christmas Eve, and is best enjoyed with the mince pie. The perfect recipe for Mulled Wine can be found Alternatives can include the mulled cider that is a fantastic and low alcohol alternative. In conjunction with mince pie, sherry is also a classic, but if you want something different, see whether you can find a bottle the Moscato di Pantelleria It’s floral and sweet, and it works wonderfully.
Christmas morning hot cocoa A custom in the family of Anika is opening the gifts under the Christmas tree in the morning while sipping hot chocolate. We make a rich and sweet hot chocolate that is boozy after dinner. Fleurie is a fan of thick, rich hot chocolate that instantly brought Anika imagine thick hot chocolates made with whipping cream that she drank as a kid when she skied in Italy. We’ve created a rich hot, spiced, and boozy chocolate (like an intense chocolate custard) with an ice-cream Clementine Chantilly to top it off. It might be a little sweet for a morning snack however, it’s sure to keep you warm.
Aperitifs, starters, and canapes
Sparkling after getting dressed to go out, we enjoy the idea of a glass of Champagne to begin the festivities. However, why not explore different alternatives such as Cremant de Limoux or sparkling Shiraz You can find lots of suggestions in our article about sparkling wine. For a different option (or alternative!) we adore the idea of a festive cocktail such as the spiced Bloody Mary or our Christmas Clementine sour that is spiced:
Smoked Salmon While Champagne with Smoked salmon is a standard however, we’re not very enthusiastic about this combination. The bubbles appear to highlight some of the bitter flavor from the smoking. We’d recommend a zingy but not too light white wine like the Grenner Veltliner or Gavi or a wine that has long-lasting minerality and length is always a good choice. Take note of the food you’re serving it with If it’s full of horseradish or mustard or horseradish, an older Australian Semillon is a great choice. If it’s herby, with dill, go for an Sauvignon Blanc or a Vermentino. To try something new Our trips across Norway as well as Scotland have helped us develop the appreciation of Aquavit and Islay whiskys, for instance, with the addition of smoked salmon.
PateFor authentic versions choose reds that are rustic to go with it, like a good Rioja. For fish like mackerel we like Vinho Verde to add freshness and to cut off all the oils. Sauternes is the most well-known for foie gras, and similar however, consider an Tokaji and Vendage Tardive (late harvest) from Alsace to try something new.
Soup: Naturally, the kind of soup you cook can have an impact here however, soups isn’t always easy to match with wine. Soup is usually savoury with stock, and rich in umami, so small glasses of either Fino and Manzanilla sherry is a great choice for this, and stands against strong flavours such as garlic.
The principal event
Turkey and the trimmings Some people enjoy white wines when the turkey is the main central point, and in that the case, an Alsace Pinot Gris or a heavier white Burgundy is a great choice. The trimmings are an integral part of Christmas meals which could include bacon-y sprouts and sweet cranberry sauce. sweet roast potatoes as well as honeyed spiced parsnips and delicious gravy! It is essential to choose an alcohol-free wine that will be able to stand up to these dishes without overwhelming and blend in much like a food item. It is a Pinot Noir is classic here however, instead of buying the Burgundy instead, why not let more money with an Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley or perhaps Central Otago or California for an alternative style. Take a look at the Pinot Noirpost to get ideas! If you’re looking for something similar to the one we have to the Beaujolais Cru – we have a special love for Fleurie here. Another option for a fruity and rich wine is the Valpolicella Ripasso.
Richer meats (e.g. goose or beef) for an alternative to the traditional in wine alone or to match the needs of a substitute meat like an opulent goose or roast beef, we like the latest globe Bordeaux blends, or GSM blends that come from Australia and South Africa – they are generally fruity that are well-managed and silky tannins.
Wellington or nuts roast for the Wellington (beef or vegetarian) or nut roast wine like a Pinot Noir is still a great choice, however it is also possible to find St Emilion can be a more refined option. If your primary is herby or aromatic and aromatic, you’ll find that the GSM blends mentioned above are ideal.
Course of cheese
The cheeseboard Most people like to serve red wine alongside their cheese board during the Christmas season (and you can continue the tradition with Pinot Noir might be fine for you if you prefer red) However, red wine pairs well with just a handful of cheeses. Tannins are especially harsh when it comes to blue or salty cheeses. Different types of cheeses have distinct features that pair well with various wines:
It is a great wine to drink. Stilton as well as Port are classics however we feel the tannins from the Port is a bit harsh when paired with the strong blue cheese. We prefer sweet wines and red Inniskillen is a dream with Stilton when you can find it. Another option is an off-dry, sweet, sherry or sloe gin for something unique (and extremely festive!)
It’s amazing. Comte is traditionally paired with red Bordeaux however we like the rich and nutty Vin Jaune with the nuttiness of the cheese (FYI we enjoy Vin Jaune in general – it’s incredible and paired perfectly with mushroom).
— Brie or other cheeses that have an oblong rind may surprise you by reacting very badly with white wines, causing them to taste bitter. It is important to choose an easy and smooth wine to prevent this. You can try non-oaked Pinot Noir or Beaujolais; as a white wine look for something similar to the Pinot Bianco, Gewurztraminer, or Riesling.
A robust, mature cheddar is tangy and salty and requires a big soft, smooth wine such as an Napa Chardonnay or an aged Barolo. However, if you’re feeling less flush, try an older smooth, soft low tannin wine such as the Beaujolais and Dolcetto.
It is a great wine to drink. goat’s cheese is light and fresh and goes well to Sauvignon Blanc, but we believe it also pairs very well with dry whites such as an Riesling or Gewurztraminer.
The main focus is The entire board The entire board see from the above picture, unless you’re able to choose an individual type of wine with each different cheese (an idea we love) It can be difficult to coordinate a complete cheeseboard. Consider determining what the focal point of your cheese board is e.g. If it’s filled with strong, salty cheese or. lighter cheeses. The key is to select the most low tannin smooth, unoaked white or red wines (red or white). Sweet or dry fortified white wines are a great choice. If you want something different Sake can work well with cheese, particularly the salty and difficult to pair with.
Another common theme throughout the course was sherrywhich is why sherry is often associated with Christmas! We’d suggest M&S extremely rare Palo Cortado as a mildly sweet and great quality (PS6!) Sherry is bursting with fresh citrus, dried fruits and nuts. This is a great wine to pair with salty cheese and a festive feeling. If you want something more sweet, you can consider Williams & Humbert As You Like It Medium Sweet Amontillado (PS30 from Waitrose). Another factor that is to your advantage is that sweetening your cheese platter with grapes or honey allows cheeses and wines to blend with ease and gives you a little chance to experiment with the perfect match.
Dessert
The Christmas Pudding The wines that are traditionally served in this region are Sauternes or Tawny port, both of which are both excellent. We also enjoyed the spicy flavors of an older Vin Santo (we got ours on our trip to Santorini and the Sweet Tuscan Vin Santo can also be a good choice!). If you want something completely different, go for the fortified Tannat A rich, dark, and spicy wine that pairs well for Christmas puddings and works well with chocolatey, rich puddings which makes it an excellent all-rounder for desserts at Christmas.
Desserts made of chocolate to enhance the sweetness of a chocolate dessert, a port of LBV is a wonderful option and usually festive. A different option is red Muscat that we enjoy. If you’re looking to lighten up your chocolate a bit, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise offers a refreshing citrus note. Moscato D’Asti is an amazing wine with a mild sweetness and acidity as well as bubbles that are able to cut through the richness chocolate with a beautiful dark chocolate flavor.
Trifle or pavlova dessertsIf there’s a trifle with sherry, the same sherry is a good choice for pavlova. For a light-flavored pavlova or trifle, you can go for the Ratafia Champenois which tastes sweet and grapey. For a delicious dessert that’s made from strawberries, red ones. We like sparkling, sweet Brachetto that tastes like strawberries and cut through the creaminess flawlessly.